M5: Proposal to upgrade J10 hits 'key milestone'

The proposals are expected to cost £249m

A proposed £229m upgrade to a road junction has been given the initial go-ahead by planning inspectors.

Gloucestershire County Council hope the developments to the M5 Junction 10 will unlock housing and employment opportunities.

The improved junction would provide access in all directions, on and off the motorway.

The council's application will now enter the pre-examination stage, where the public can share their views.

The scheme is being funded through the council's successful bid to UK Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), administered by Homes England.

Having now been approved on behalf of the Secretary of State as meeting the standards required to be accepted for examination, the council's application will now enter the third stage of the national infrastructure planning process.

Whilst there is no statutory timescale for this stage of the process, it usually takes three months.

"We're thrilled that the Planning Inspectorate has accepted our application for development consent for the M5 Junction 10 Improvements Scheme," said Councillor David Gray, cabinet member for environment and planning.

"Reaching this key milestone takes us another step further in the planning process and is testament to the thorough and hard work of the project team involved in progressing the scheme," he added.

At the moment, drivers can only access the M5 northbound at junction 10.

If the development goes ahead, people travelling south from north-west Cheltenham could join the motorway without travelling across the town on local roads to junction 11.

Other upgrades to the junction would include a new link road connecting the A4019 to the B4634 in west Cheltenham, and widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road.