Cheltenham Borough Council appoint officer to discuss M5 plans

Cheltenham Borough Council have delegated authority for a senior officer to comment on the junction 10 plans on their behalf

Improvements to junction 10 of the M5 could soon be under way as town leaders agree to streamline the process.

A development consent order outlining Gloucestershire County Council's plans, was submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination in January.

During this stage, an appointed inspector will run preliminary meetings for people to share their views.

Now, Cheltenham Borough Council have delegated authority for a senior officer to comment on their behalf.

The borough council's director communities and economic development Tracey Birkinshaw will make representations at the development consent order (DCO) hearings concerning the M5 Junction 10 project in accordance with the council's responses to the consultation.

Presenting a report on 13 February, customer and regulatory services cabinet member and former MP Martin Horwood, said the decision would streamline the process and "delegates the power to respond formally on behalf of the council and make representations at the hearings and meetings of the examination process".

'Waiting for years'

He said: "We seem to have been waiting for years, if not decades but the process is now speeding up and I hope proceeding to a conclusion that will be very positive for Cheltenham and other parts of Gloucestershire."

During the DCO period, the public can also register with the planning inspectorate to share their views of the planning application in writing.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Gloucestershire County Council's proposals to improve the motorway, which include a new link road connecting the A4019 to the B4634 in west Cheltenham and widening of the A4019 Tewkesbury Road, should pave the way for thousands of new homes near the town.

Housing cabinet member Victoria Atherstone said the proposals had her full support and the improvements around junction 10 were "vitally important for all the housing development " planned for west and north west Cheltenham.

"We don't want anything slowing that down and this is really really great this will be efficient and effective," she added.