The Proposals
Concept Masterplan
The proposals are for a landscape-led delivery of around 750 new homes, with green infrastructure at the heart of the scheme. Key features include:
1
A new bus gate and active travel access on Swindon Lane (car-free).
2
A new Cycle and Pedestrian route avoiding the congested level crossing at Swindon Lane. Supported in principle by Network Rail, and only deliverable through this development.
3
Vehicle access on Hyde Lane provided by new junctions.
4
Public Right of Way incorporated into the landscape and street scape.
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Around 750 new homes, with a significant level of affordable homes aligned with policy, helping local people access homes they can afford in a town where prices are 19% above the national average.
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A landscape-led design with homes arranged around a network of green corridors, parkland and retained hedgerows and tree belts.
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Landscaped corridor through the heart of the site incorporating existing watercourse, new areas of public open space and ecology improvements.
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Drainage features to mange surface water, integrated into the landscape.
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Essential walking and cycling connections within the site. The site is already well-connected to essential services via active travel (including public transport); and, well-positioned to the Honeybourne Line and the Bishops Cleeve strategic cycleway.
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Hunting Butts Ridge will become public open space, incorporating new parkland, informal play space, walking routes and ecology enhancements.
Movement & Connectivity
We recognise that new development can have an impact and are committed to positively managing the movement of people to ensure changes to the local highways are minimal.
The planning application will be accompanied by a detailed Transport Assessment which will consider such impacts and set out what mitigation might be required.
The site is already well-connected to shops and essential services via active travel (including public transport). It is also in close proximity to the Honeybourne Line and the Bishops Cleeve strategic cycleway, with an opportunity to incorporate local bus services.
Given the site’s sustainable location, the proposals present an opportunity to fundamentally improve the movement network in this part of northern Cheltenham and enhance active travel corridors.
Providing a route to bypass the Swindon Lane Level Crossing
The development provides a unique opportunity to address pre-existing issues with the level crossing where Swindon Lane meets the railway.
A new route through the site would enable pedestrians and cyclists to bypass the level crossing entirely via a new connection between Swindon Lane and Wymans Lane.
This improvement is supported in principle by Network Rail, and cannot be delivered independently of the development.
Active Travel
The site is already well-connected to shops and essential services via active travel (including public transport). It is also in close proximity to the Honeybourne Line and the Bishops Cleeve strategic cycleway.
The former Honeybourne railway line provides a dedicated cycle and walking route between north Cheltenham to the town centre and Cheltenham Spa station.
The site is also close to the strategic cycleway linking Cheltenham with Bishops Cleeve.
Stagecoach have confirmed that the Stagecoach H service can be brought into the site via Swindon Lane, providing a 10 minute bus to Cheltenham town centre, running every 30 minutes, within a short walk of every new home.
Vehicle Access & Movements
Vehicular access to the site would be taken from Hyde Lane to the north, with two junction arrangements proposed to distribute car traffic.
There will be no private car access onto Swindon Lane.
A bus gate on Swindon Lane would restrict access to buses, emergency vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians only. The predicted change in vehicle traffic on Swindon Lane is therefore forecast to be negligible.
Initial transport work, based on locally derived trip rates, show that the proposed development would increase in daily traffic on Hyde Lane and Wymans Lane of between approximately 10% to less than 20%. While these changes will require further assessment through the planning process, this is below the threshold typically associated with significant environmental effects.
Environment & Open Space
Open space and green infrastructure are central to the design. The proposals will deliver significant and lasting environmental benefits, including:
Hunting Butts Ridge and the watercourse running through the site retained as publicly accessible parkland, with long-distance views across the vale and new walking and cycling routes for residents and the wider community.
Comprehensive habitat creation alongside the watercourse running through the site, including ponds and wetland planting.
Retention and strengthening of existing hedgerows and tree belts throughout the site.
Integrated sustainable drainage features contributing to water management and biodiversity.
Retaining and enhancing the existing public rights of way through the site.
A range of measures to strengthen ecological value, contributing to the Gloucestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy and delivering a net gain for biodiversity.
A permanent new Green Belt boundary established along Hunting Butts Ridge and Hyde Lane, defined by clear physical features and protecting the land to the north for the long term.
Public Open Space Plan
Drainage
The areas proposed for new housing are at very low risk of surface water flooding. Areas of the site at low to high risk of surface water flooding, such as close to the watercourse running through the centre of the site, are not proposed for new housing development.
The planning application will include a comprehensive drainage strategy to better manage surface water run-off.
This will incorporate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) such as basins and rain gardens. These features will ensure surface water is managed on site, reducing uncontrolled runoff and enhancing local resilience to rainfall, ensuring no increase in flood risk elsewhere.
Foul Drainage
The site’s foul water will be collected and conveyed to a point of discharge into the existing foul sewer system.
Severn Trent must ensure that the foul flows resulting from the new development do not cause detriment to the existing foul sewer system, and have a duty to carry out works to their network to accommodate the additional flows from the proposed development.
Severn Trent are currently undertaking detailed network modelling to confirm where in their network the new development will connect, and whether any upgrades are required.
Local Infrastructure
The proposals will provide a wide range of key benefits, including public access to hitherto private land, a significant level of affordable homes and much improved walking and cycle connections.
It is expected that the planning application will also provide proportionate funding to assist the local provision of essential services.
This includes contributions toward local education and health care needs that will be agreed through the planning process.
Such contributions would be secured through a Section 106 Legal Agreement as part of any planning permission.