Cheltenham homes approved for industrial site

Residents fear the development will make Rowanfield Road "even more dangerous"

Councillors have approved major plans to demolish a historic industrial site to make way for hundreds of homes.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have been granted permission to redevelop the Lansdown Industrial Estate, near Cheltenham Spa railway station.

Residents fear it could lead to an increase in traffic in Rowanfield Road.

But developers said the project would provide affordable housing and better connections for pedestrians and cyclists using the railway station.

Three separate applications for the Gloucester Road industrial estate were put before Cheltenham Borough Council's planning committee on 18 January, including demolition to make way for 215 homes, an art studio and a mixed-use redevelopment of units 23 and 30, which are at the front of Roman Road.

The site was the home of HH Martyn & Co, the company famous for making the Marble Arch gates, redecorating Buckingham Palace and manufacturing Spitfire propellers during World War Two.

The land is now owned by the Cheshire Pension Fund, which is administered by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The Lansdown Industrial Estate site, by Cheltenham Spa station, is split in two by a railway line

Steve Bryson, of Cheltenham Civic Society, told the council: "Failure to include employment uses on this site will drive any future expansion to much less sustainable sites elsewhere - potentially even to other towns."

He added despite the council officially recognising the climate emergency, "it looks like you are about to nod through a scheme that will release huge amounts of carbon through the demolition of what remains of our town's industrial heritage".

Simon Firkins, the agent for all three applications, said the developers had been patient, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"The existing buildings, as our surveyor put it, are essentially shot to the extent that some of them had to be demolished years ago," he said.

"The issue, as I see it, is that whatever heritage value the buildings may have had in the past don't exist any more."

Cheltenham Local History Society argued the Lansdown Industrial Estate was of national importance

Many residents opposed the planned demolition of the current art studio at the site, but Mr Firkins said the proposals included a new arts studio.

Councillor David Willingham, who represents the area at Gloucestershire County Council, spoke against the proposals, echoing concerns over the impact the project could have in Rowanfield Road.

Council officers recommended approving the proposals and councillors voted unanimously to do so.