Garden CommunitiesAbout the programme

Tewkesbury Garden Communities

The Tewkesbury Garden Communities programme promotes the creation of sustainable, community-focused developments in the Garden Communities area.

A history of development

For over a decade, the area surrounding Ashchurch for Tewkesbury railway station has been the focus of significant development interest. From Ministry of Defence land releases to major retail and residential schemes, the landscape has been evolving rapidly.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, a coordinated vision has been taking shape in the form of the Tewkesbury Garden Communities programme – one that seeks to protect the area from piecemeal development and instead deliver a holistic, sustainable future for Tewkesbury and its residents.

Let’s look back at the key milestones in the area

2012 – Early Proposals and MoD Land Review link.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) began reviewing its land holdings at Ashchurch, home to a major military logistics base.

Proposals emerged to scale back operations, freeing up 80 hectares of land for potential redevelopment.

2012 – Very early proposals for retail outlet and garden centre on the south-side of the A46 which would later become Dobbies Garden Centre and the Cotswold Retail Outlet link.

2016 – Outline planning permission for Cotswold Designer Outlet

Developer Robert Hitchins Ltd secured outline planning permission for the Cotswold Designer Outlet, a major retail destination adjacent to the M5.

2017 – Fiddington Fields Housing Development application submitted for 850 dwellings link.

A planning application was submitted for a large-scale residential development at Fiddington, including hundreds of homes, green space, and community infrastructure. This marked the beginning of significant housing growth in the area.

2017 – The Joint Core Strategy (JCS) 2011-2031 was adopted by Gloucester City Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council in December 2017.

The JCS sets out the amount of new homes, jobs and supporting infrastructure that is needed to 2031 and details the strategy for how this development is to be delivered in a managed and resilient way whilst protecting our exceptional natural and built environment.

2018 – Tewkesbury Borough Council submits application for Garden Town status – 10,195 homes and 100 hectares of employment land.

Following the announcement by the Chancellor in the Autumn Statement of 2017, and in the face of large-scale development on several sites in the vicinity, Tewkesbury Borough Council submitted a bid for Garden Town status, based upon a housing shortfall in the area and substantial infrastructure needs, aiming to guide future development with a masterplanned approach.

2019 – Dobbies Garden Centre planning application.

Plans were submitted for what would become the largest Dobbies Garden Centre in the South West, forming part of the wider retail masterplan.

2019 – Tewkesbury Borough Council granted Garden Town status link.

Following a rigorous application process, the Government awarded Tewkesbury Borough Council Garden Town status and the then chief executive said: “The key for this is to provide a quality development over a long period of time that allows us to get the infrastructure, green space and the employment. Everything that goes into a really good development will be done right.”

2019 – Fiddington Fields development approved.

Planning permission granted for Fiddington Fields, a major residential scheme delivering two, three, and four-bedroom homes, play areas, sports pitches, and a community centre.

This marked the beginning of visible transformation in the area.

2020 – MOD announces £240 investment for its Ashchurch site link.

The Ministry of Defence announced in March 2020 that it would be upgrading facilities and only sell a small part of the site for housing.

2022 – Dobbies Garden Centre opens.

A new Dobbies Garden Centre opened on 3 November near the station, providing a green retail hub and creating local jobs. It became a popular destination for residents and visitors alike.

2025 – Cotswold Designer Outlet opens.

The Cotswold Designer Outlet opened its doors, bringing premium retail brands and boosting the local economy.

Strategically located near the M5 and the railway station, it enhances Tewkesbury’s regional appeal.

A coordinated vision for growth

While each of these developments has brought benefits, it is the Tewkesbury Garden Communities initiative that ties them together. By securing Garden Town status, the council has taken a proactive role in shaping the area’s future – ensuring that growth is not just about numbers, but about quality of life.

Rather than allowing fragmented, speculative development, the council’s approach:

• Aligns infrastructure with housing delivery
• Protects green spaces and enhances biodiversity
• Promotes active travel and public transport
• Supports economic growth through well-placed employment and retail hubs.

Looking ahead

As we move into the next phase of development, the Garden Town framework will continue to guide decisions – ensuring that Ashchurch and Tewkesbury grow in a way that is sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready.

This is not just about building homes. It’s about building a community – one that reflects the character of Tewkesbury, meets the needs of its people, and stands the test of time.

What are Garden Communities?

A Garden Community is the UK Government initiative to describe cohesively planned strategic developments that will deliver more than 1,500 homes. The Government has two tiers of community: Garden Villages have 1,500 – 9,999 homes, and Garden Towns have 10,000 or more homes.

On 25 March 2019, the government announced that Tewkesbury and its surrounding area is one of only a handful of locations to be awarded Garden Town status. These locations are mainly grouped around the train station and A46 and to the East of the M5. There are some additional sites in other areas around Tewkesbury, too, and they all combine to confer the Garden Town status in Government terms.

These things are best done one step at a time, or as a phased development, to use the technical term. Each phase will be subject to all sorts of factors, so it’s difficult to say which will be done in which order, but it’s vital for the area that someone takes the reigns to make sure that there are connections, services and community facilities, and that our environment is enhanced by the results.

The Garden Communities team at Tewkesbury Borough Council is that guiding hand on the wheel. Our Garden Communities Charter sets out a vision and principles for the development. We developed the charter in collaboration with stakeholder groups, and it was approved by the borough council and officially launched on 1 March 2024.

Aims of the Programme

It aims to promote comprehensively planned, connected communities designed to encourage good growth, helping new and existing residents to enjoy the best possible quality of life. Combining new development with delivering investment in Tewkesbury town to enhance its role as a vibrant and historic market town that serves its local and wider communities.

Good growth  makes people’s lives, of all ages, better and mitigates the impact of climate change. It provides for better jobs and workplaces and better housing choices. Better health and well-being, improved ecology and access to green spaces and provision of community facilities and infrastructure in advance of or alongside new development. It provides a platform for all communities and businesses to directly influence the best possible stewardship of their place.

About the team

You know that feeling when you look at something and wonder “why is it like that?” Take a historic town like Tewkesbury, for example. Why is the Abbey in its location and the High Street over there? Why is this road wide and that one narrow? We know it’s because the town has evolved over two millennia since the Romans and in a place as steeped in history as Tewkesbury, we put it down to character, the charm of the town.

When we look at new developments, we have different expectations. There should be homes, employment, schools, GP surgeries, parks, flood defences and more all planned in. Someone should be looking at the Big Picture and working with landowners, developers, residents, businesses and more to ensure things are done for the benefit of the whole community.

That’s where we come in. We’re the Garden Communities team and our aim is to ensure development in Tewkesbury and its surrounding area progresses in a holistic way – helping to create vibrant, thriving settlements where people can live, work and raise families. This includes working with partners such as Gloucestershire County Council to improve transport links, education provision and green infrastructure, such as new parks and cycle routes. It also means the council may have access to specialist government support and strategic planning advice.

Alice, our Place Development Manager, lives near Cheltenham and has a background in urban design – in both public and private sector organisations.	Meet the team	Martha, Programme Coordinator lives in Tewkesbury and has a breadth of experience in community engagement and community funding.
Neil is our Programme Officer and lives near Gloucester. His background is in programme and project management, notably at Gloucestershire LEP	Jonathan is Associate Director for the programme and lives near Tewkesbury. He brings a breadth of experience in programme management, largely from the aerospace industry.	Gethin, our Communicatios and Engagement Officer, who lives near Cheltenham, has a background of media relations and PR in public and private sector settings.

Connection to planning

As a Local Planning Authority (LPA), Tewkesbury Borough Council manages the development of land and buildings, with an aim to preserve the best of our heritage and to improve our infrastructure. The LPA is responsible for whether a development should go ahead – and decides where everything from houses and shops to offices and parks should go, taking into account things like traffic, the environment, and what the community needs.

Housing developers are now submitting applications to deliver proposed developments that, if approved, will make up the Garden Communities area.