A £20 million redevelopment of Cheltenham’s Arle Court Park and Ride site has been given the go-ahead, as Gloucestershire continues to lay the groundwork for the forthcoming Golden Valley Development.
The plans, approved by Cheltenham Borough Council, include an extra 403 parking bays, taking the total to 955; five dedicated taxi and 12 motorhome bays; more spaces for disabled drivers; and room for an additional 70 bicycles, taking the number to 90.
Artist’s impressions of how it will all look when complete show a site dominated by a wood-clad 2,500 square metre multi-storey car park building with the plans also including a café that would be open from 7am to 7pm and a name change to Arle Court Transport Hub.
Jack Lorraine, planning consultant at development firm Atkins, which filed the plans on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council, said: ‘The scheme will improve and future-proof Arle Court Park and Ride to include more parking space availability and electric vehicles bays; to provide coach lay off and taxi set down space; and to provide improved segregated access routes through the site for buses, private vehicles and cycling and pedestrians.’
Arle Court Park and Ride sits at the end of the A40 dual carriageway from Gloucester, a short drive from junction 11 of the M5 and directly south of the site for the Golden Valley Development.
Significant work has already taken place on the A40 dual carriageway to add extra lanes and alongside the adjacent B4063, which includes a new stretch of cycleway linking the centre of Cheltenham to Staverton.
The multi-million pound Golden Valley Development aims to create a ‘garden community’, integrating hi-tech business, residential and leisure uses with a digital-focused business park, Cyber Central, at its heart. The development is expected to become a major economic driver for the county.
Work on the Arle Court site is expected to begin in autumn 2022, with completion in late 2023/24.
