Cheltenham's Golden Valley cyber site awarded £20m

The Innovation Centre will provide a further permanent home for GCHQ in a modern 'low-side' site

The government has provisionally committed to providing £20m towards the first phase of a £1bn cyber centre.

The Golden Valley development will be built on land next to GCHQ and aims to confirm Cheltenham as the UK's cyber capital.

MP Alex Chalk said: "I believe passionately that growing this sector is one of the best ways to address the deprivation which exists in our town."

Cheltenham Borough Council has already invested £130m in the scheme.

The development is expected to create 12,000 new jobs and 3,700 houses.

"It's how we create opportunities for youngsters who may not have had the easiest start in life, but are talented and prepared to work hard," added Mr Chalk.

Councillor Max Wilkinson called the most recent funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities "unequivocally good news for Cheltenham".

The council has led the project from the start, recently working with partners HBD x Factory Ltd.

Councillor Max Wilkinson said the centre would "help us deliver jobs and prosperity for local people"

Golden Valley, which spans 47 hectares (56,2115 sq yd) will comprise of 1 million sq ft (92,903 metres) of commercial space and more than 1,000 low carbon homes to rent or buy, green open spaces and a new primary school.

The National Cyber Innovation Centre, which gained £95m funding approval last month, will be a centre for learning, which various businesses, schools and universities can rent out for education and training purposes.

'Delighted'

As part of his cyber vision for Cheltenham, Mr Chalk has been championing the bid for the Golden Valley funding and said more needs to be done to "unlock equality" in the town."After much lobbying behind the scenes, I am delighted that the Government is investing a further £20m into the Cheltenham Cyber Park," he said.

"It takes the total sum invested so far by Government into our town's tech future to over £52m." He added: "This major government investment will all help our town deliver on the vision I set out in 2014, to protect our heritage, but rapidly embrace the opportunities of technology.

"That's how we will be fit for the future." 

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [e-mail]