Home > News By David Wood | 1st May 2025 Young minds are leaving their mark on Churchdown as four pupils from St Mary's Catholic Primary School have been shortlisted in a competition to name the streets in a brand-new housing development invited pupils to suggest themes for the street names at the housebuilder's latest project on Cheltenham Road East in Churchdown where planning permission has been granted for 145 zero carbon homes that rely on renewable energy for heat and power in place of fossil fuels The competition aimed to help engage young people in their local community and to leave a legacy for future generations Pupils were tasked to think up names inspired by the local area's history and four outstanding themes were selected by Newland Homes Year 2 pupil Marko Djakovic suggested names that represented the electrical and zero carbon revolution Leila Gunter from Year 4 chose the theme of local planes Annabelle Mak from Year 6 suggested wildlife found in Churchdown Jennifer O'Malley from Year 5 suggested names of inspirational women from Gloucestershire The Newland Homes judges were impressed with the pupils' thoughtful and creative suggestions which celebrate the unique heritage and character of Churchdown The shortlisted pupils were celebrated in a special assembly at the school and awarded a book gift token for their contributions The final decision on the street names rests with the council who are in the process of reviewing the themes suggested in consultation with other stakeholders said: "By involving local children in the street naming process we celebrate Churchdown's rich heritage and ensure that the voices of the next generation are heard in the development of their hometown We were thrilled with the level of creativity shown by the pupils at St Mary's as they came up with topics we would never have thought of!" headteacher at St Mary's Catholic Primary School said: "The competition really inspired the pupils' creative thinking in relation to what makes this area special and the amazing individuals who originate from the county To have the opportunity to contribute to the street naming process is something that the children were understandably very excited by and this was reflected in the number and quality of the entries." Cllr Mary Jordan said: "As a councillor for St John's ward I was really pleased to be part of the presentation ceremony It is so valuable to establish these types of links where children can have input into their local areas The partnership between St Mary's and Newland Homes is a great opportunity for children to learn about new technologies and ways of addressing climate change." Construction work will commence on Cheltenham Road East later this year with the first zero carbon homes likely to be released for sale by the end of this year Homes will range in size from one bedroom through to five bedrooms 51 of the 145 new homes will be affordable homes Almost 50% of the development will become public open space meadow area and woodland planting for all to enjoy Proposed landscaping enhancements will provide fantastic ecology and wildlife benefits meaning that the natural environment will be measurably improved from its current state Newland Homes is building zero carbon homes across the South West in Wiltshire To find out more about the new zero carbon homes in Churchdown, visit www.newlandhomes.co.uk or follow @newlandhomes on socials Opinion marks early verdict on Labour amid Shire Hall shakeup The project has been more than a decade in the making and could see 620 acres of greenbelt transformed into a new town It has revealed plans to open a branch in town as part of a rapid expansion Forest of Dean venture shares its fears amid new burden Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission We use cookies to help make our website better. For more information on cookies and how to block them, visit https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/ For best viewing experience of this website Please enter a place name in the search bar After provisionally the warmest May Day on record in the UK higher than average temperatures will subside over the weekend Environment Agency Updated: 03:26 (UTC+1) on Tue 6 May 2025 Fine and settled under the influence of high pressure A chilly start but with plenty of clear skies bringing long spells of sunshine Cloud thickening from the west later in the afternoon but remaining dry for all with light winds Evening cloud gradually clears away leaving a dry night with clear spells Wednesday brings a mixture of sunny spells and cloudy skies A few spots of rain may be felt in the far southwest Widely dry and settled with high pressure dominating this week Dry across the vast majority of the UK with clear or sunny spells but also some patchy cloud Cloud will likely thicken across the far north and northwest during the weekend with some outbreaks of rain for a time There is also a small risk of some heavy showers in the far south or southwest high pressure will be dominant across the UK This will bring predominantly fine and dry weather for the majority of places Temperatures are likely to be slightly above normal for the time of year although there is a chance of some cold nights Fairly typical weather for the time of year is most likely through this period fine and dry weather is more likely to dominate although this will be interspersed with occasional spells of rain and showers with a risk of heavy rain and thunderstorms in places temperatures will most likely be near to or slightly above average By Sarah Wood | 23rd September 2024 schools and a leisure centre were all forced to close following storms and heavy rain in Gloucestershire Storms on Friday (September 20) afternoon caused flash flooding across Gloucestershire Three shops on The Promenade in Cheltenham - Toast Anthropologie and Crew Clothing - were closed over the weekend and remain closed today (September 23) due to flooding There is no indication when they will be able to reopen It was a particularly bitter blow for Toast after being closed due to flooding since October last year The Milestone School in Gloucester will be closed today and tomorrow Chosen Hill School in Churchdown is also closed today The Village Cakery posted a video of staff sweeping water away from the shop and asking drivers to slow down Leisure @ Cheltenham was closed over the weekend With a Met Office amber warning for rain until 9pm this evening unfortunately this is unlikely to be the last of the flooding for Gloucestershire Has your business been affected by flooding? Do you know of any schools or local organisations forced to close? Let us know at mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk By Sarah Wood | 20th September 2024 A Gloucestershire school is inviting parents and the local community to see its development plans Chosen Hill School in Churchdown has applied for planning permission to build a 3G pitch on the school playing fields in conjunction with the Football Foundation It is holding a drop-in for people to find out more about the plans on Wednesday the school said the new pitch would: "Greatly enhance not only the school facilities but football facilities for the whole community." Chosen Hill School has also won grant funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency to replace three old classrooms with a brand new building containing four new classrooms The ad-free version is ready for purchase on iOS mobile app today we couldn't find that page";var n=e.querySelector("h2");return n&&n.remove(),{staticContent:e,title:t}},d=function(e){var t=document.createElement("button");return t.innerText=e,t.classList.add("error-page-button"),t},f=function(e){var t=document.createElement("div");t.id="recirculation-404",t.classList.add("brand-hint-bg");var n="\n \n \n Tick here if you would like us to send you the author’s response A suspected grenade found in Churchdown has been deemed to be safe by the Royal Navy Bomb Squad The potentially explosive device was found inside the shed of an address on Cheltenham Road East on Wednesday afternoon A cordon was put in place around the home and nearby residencies were evacuated while the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) carried out an assessment. Gloucestershire Police have since said the item has been deemed to be safe The road has now reopened and cordons have been removed Gloucestershire Police said in an update: "Road closures have been lifted in Churchdown after a suspected grenade was found in the shed of an address on Cheltenham Road East "A cordon was put in place and nearby properties were evacuated as a safety precaution so that the Explosive Ordnance Disposal could attend and assess the devices "The item was deemed to be safe and the cordon and road closures have now been removed We'd like to thank everyone for their co-operation during this time." The original statement read: "Road closures are in place in Churchdown following a report of a suspected grenade found in the shed of a property Police received the report at around 12.15pm today (26 March) and a cordon has been put into place around the address on Cheltenham Road East "Nearby residents have been evacuated as a precaution so that personnel from the EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) can assess the item "There are road closures in place from the junction with Down Hatherley Lane to the lights at the Hare and Hounds pub People are being asked to avoid the area and find alternative routes." Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right A secondary school has been badly damaged by flash-flooding linked to the thunderstorms and will not be able to open on Monday (September 23) Chosen Hill School in Churchdown said it had taken the decision with 'regret' but it was an 'extreme' event and safety checks need to be carried out The heavens opened on Friday afternoon (September 20) with a Met Office severe weather warning in place for thunderstorms. The sound of thunder and the flash of lightning continued into the evening, sparking chaos on many roads and flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency put a message up on its website and on its social media channels It said the closure is for all staff and students It wrote: "It is with regret that we have unfortunately had to take the decision to close the school to all staff and students on Monday the 23rd September This is due to significant flood damage tonight (Friday) caused by a flash flood "With further rain forecast over the weekend However in order to open the site safely we will need to conduct a full site electrical survey to assess the considerable damage caused "We apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this unforeseen and extreme event We have made this decision now in order to provide you with as much notice as possible to make alternative arrangements We will update you further on Monday." By Court reporter | 26th March 2024 A Churchdown shoplifter has been banned from entering any retail premises in Gloucestershire apart from three stores near his home At Cheltenham Magistrates Court a three year criminal behaviour order was imposed on James Williams of Coriander Drive after he admitted stealing four steaks worth £19.50 from the Co-op in Churchdown on March 7 and £13 worth of Persil washing liquid from Tesco in Gloucester on the same date The criminal behaviour order bans him from entering any retail premises in Gloucestershire apart from Badhams Pharmacy in Morley Avenue and the Morrisons/Esso Filling Station at Pirton Corner Williams was also ordered to pay £32.50 compensation for the stolen goods By Laura Enfield | 8th May 2024 A housebuilder hoping to construct 185 homes off Hempsted Lane has helped a nearby school fund a new outdoor classroom Bellway has submitted plans to develop land at Hill Farm Into a development called Hawthorn Park and is awaiting a decision by Gloucester City Council In the meantime the Newcastle upon Tyne firm has stepped in to help Hempsted C of E Primary School in St Swithuns Road Friends of the Gloucester school had been fundraising hard to finance a new outdoor classroom but were short of the overall £10,000 target Bellway stepped in with the final £500 required for the build The timber building was completed in late March and can seat up to 30 children It will mainly be used as a classroom and quiet area for children who have trouble coping with the hustle and bustle of a busy playground break School headteacher Richard Waller said: "We are grateful to Bellway for their donation of £500 which allowed us to reach the target funding needed to finance the building of the shelter can now focus their future fundraising on furnishing the space perhaps with cushions and storage for books "We are very much looking forward to making full use of this excellent new facility which will enrich the lives of children in the school." said: "When the school got in touch and told us about their plans for a new outdoor shelter we were more than happy to help out "At Bellway it is part of our ethos to support the communities in which we build new homes and making this contribution to the local school which is less than half a mile from our forthcoming development at Hawthorn Park Plans to develop land at Hill Farm in Hempsted Lane were originally granted permission in October 2023 after Gladman Developments won its appeal against Gloucester City Council announced it had bought the land in November and submitted detailed plans to build 185 homes on the site in December 2023 The determination deadline was March 6 but amendments were submitted to the council in April following discussions with the developer four and five-bed houses and one and two-bed flats Infrastructure payments of more than £1.9million would be made under the terms of the Community Infrastructure Levy and Section 106 agreements linked to the outline planning application These payments include money for sports provision Bellway is also building new homes at three developments in Gloucestershire - Sandalwood Green in Hempsted Millbrook Grove in Brockworth and Bellway at Pirton Fields in Churchdown By Punchline Reporter | 13th April 2023 The first phase of the Ashberry Homes development in Churchdown is now complete is building a total of 238 new homes over two phases at Ashberry at Pirton Fields The housebuilder has finished construction of the 97 properties in phase one and all of the residents have moved in This part of the build programme consists of 63 private homes and 34 affordable properties for available local people through rent or shared ownership Work is now progressing on the second phase of 141 new homes which will feature 76 private homes and 65 affordable properties for local people said: "We have sold a lot of the three and four-bedroom properties to families relocating from Swindon One of the main reasons some people have decided to buy a new home here is because they want their children to attend one of the four excellent state grammar schools we have in the area." "We are finding that buyers are being attracted to Ashberry at Pirton Fields because it is conveniently located near the handsome centres of both Gloucester and Cheltenham Purchasers are also drawn by the fact that the village is within walking distance a GP surgery and schools within easy reach." As part of the planning agreement for the wider project the developers will invest £5.7 million in services and infrastructure in the area This will include £2.7 million to be spent on primary education £1.7 million for new facilities at Chosen Hill School in Churchdown Ashberry at Pirton Fields is part of a joint venture with Bellway which is building 227 new homes at the site The wider development will deliver a total of 465 new properties Construction started on the site in spring 2020 and is due to be completed in September 2024 By Sarah Wood | 16th February 2024 Plans for new homes on land adjacent to Brickhampton Golf Club are set to go to Tewkesbury Borough Council's planning committee next week (February 20) The hybrid planning application is for full planning permission for use of land as public amenity space with outline planning for seven affordable homes and eight market value homes the committee will need to consider each element separately Council officers are recommending the application be refused The application site is 2.4 hectares of land retained by the applicants after the farm was developed into Brickhampton Golf Club The application has received no objection from a range of authorities local flood officer and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust But there are objections from Churchdown Parish Council and Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) because the development is on Green Belt land the council's affordable housing officer objects to the plans on the basis that the affordable homes are separated from the market sale units The proposals have received 16 letters of objection including one signed by 12 members of the golf club the impact on traffic and an increase in noise and disturbance in relation to the provision of facilities for young children and provision of new homes The proposed public open space would consist of a community woodland play space and biodiversity enhancements for the enjoyment of local residents of Churchdown and Innsworth the applicant has provided no details on the type and size of play facilities to be used Because this element of the proposal is for full planning permission the council cannot assess the impact it would have on the Green Belt which council officers say makes this part of the proposal unacceptable The proposed housing isn't within a defined settlement as set out in the Joint Core Strategy (JCS) for Gloucester and is physically separated from Churchdown by existing hedgerows and a small watercourse However, Tewkesbury cannot currently demonstrate the required five-year housing land supply The applicant has offered several considerations it believes constitute very special circumstances which outweigh the harm to the Green Belt: • Provision of housing where there is a lack of local housing supply in Tewkesbury • Provision of affordable housing above the recognised 40% standard figure (at 47% for the proposed scheme) • Provision of new footpaths and improved connectivity • Consideration of the development as infilling of existing development • Previous consideration of the site for removal from the Green Belt But the council does not consider a number of these arguments to amount to benefits The JCS aims to integrate all types of housing so affordable housing tenants are part of an inclusive community with affordable housing developers expected to disperse affordable units evenly across and throughout the development scheme amongst open market homes to encourage the formation of mixed The proposed plans do not meet this requirement as the proposed affordable homes are to the north of the existing homes on the site and the proposed market rate homes are to the south The committee will make a decision on the plans at its meeting next week This article was amended on February 21 to make it clear the land isn't owned by Brickhampton Court By James Young | 18th July 2019 Detailed plans for a 465-home estate between Churchdown and Gloucester are close to being completed The site at Pirton Fields to the south of Churchdown and west of the B4063 Cheltenham Road East was given outline planning permission by Tewkesbury Borough Council in December 2018 housebuilder Bellway has finalised a deal to buy the land and is now drawing up plans for the detailed planning application to be submitted to the council The deal completed by Bellway's Wales division is the biggest site acquisition undertaken by the firm According to the firm "The blueprint will comprise two three and four-bedroom houses and one-bedroom apartments including 102 affordable homes for local people and key workers "The local housebuilder will also make significant financial contributions to the local community totalling more than £6 million as part of the planning agreement for the site." said: "We're really pleased to have finalised the acquisition of land for our new development in Churchdown "It's particularly exciting for us as a division as it's the largest land purchase we have ever made and reflects the growth of the business over the last few years "We are now looking forward to progressing our plans for new homes on the site which will provide much-needed new housing for the local area "We have a strong track record of delivering new homes in Gloucestershire and are planning a mix of homes which will cater for all sections of the community "We will be working closely with the local authority to ensure that our proposals meet the needs of local people and hope our detailed plans are approved so we can move forward with construction." The Churchdown site was earmarked for development by the Joint Core Strategy - the collaborative agreement between Gloucester City Cheltenham Borough and Tewkesbury Borough Councils The JCS included what is called the South Churchdown Urban Extension which includes the land at Pirton Fields to the west of Cheltenham Road East and also land to the east and south of the A40 A further 85 homes have been earmarked for the parcel of land between the B4063 and A40 Golden Valley bypass A further parcel of land to the south east of the Golden Valley has also been allocated for development That would see 320 homes built and a new park and ride site for Gloucester constructed along with an extension to the existing Elmbridge Court Business Park Schoolchildren in Churchdown had the chance to learn about careers in the construction industry on a visit to a new housing development in the village A group of 19 Year 10 students from Churchdown School Academy were given a behind-the-scenes tour of Asberry Homes’ Pirton Fields site where the housebuilder is delivering 238 new homes off Cheltenham Road The students and their teachers were welcomed to the development by site manager Colin Wedge and sales advisor Susan Emms before heading to the sales centre so they could be be kitted out in hi-vis jackets and given a health and safety briefing Colin talked the students through the various trades in construction as well as describing the skills and attributes required to build a successful career in construction The visit ended with a Q&A in which he offered advice and tips on how to stand out when applying for jobs in the industry Year 10 teacher at Churchdown School Academy “When Ashberry Homes reached out to see if our students would like to visit their new housing development nearby I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for our students to see a working environment outside the classroom “Churchdown is a close-knit village and some of the students and their families actually live at Pirton Fields so it was a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look into how their homes were constructed at the development “When Colin talked to them about overseeing new-build homes under construction it added substance and weight to the project as a whole as they learnt about the steps needed to develop the site – from land acquisition through to planning and design and the sales process “On behalf of Churchdown School Academy I want to thank Ashberry Homes for arranging this site visit – these community links are so important to us “The memories and opportunities we can provide our students are equally as important as the grades they achieve Opportunities such as the site visit to Pirton Fields can open their eyes to possible routes in the future and motivate them to push themselves further in their studies and achieve great things.” “We pride ourselves on building relationships with local schools close to where we build so it was a pleasure to welcome students from Churchdown School Academy to Pirton Fields so they could find out more about the development and the housebuilding industry more widely “Year 10 is a time when many students will be thinking about their future careers so we hope to have given them a valuable insight into a potential career path that they might not have previously considered.” Welcome to FE Soundbite Edition 795: 3rd May 2025 | Where’s the Joined-Up Skills Plan for Our Future Hachette Learning sponsors this week’s Soundbite This… award-winning training provider with over 17 years of experience recognised for its dedication to diversity and inclusion values South Eastern Regional College (SERC) has become the first SIAS Approved Centre in Northern Ireland regulated qualifications in Healthcare Estates… Over 40 key external stakeholders joined Stoke on Trent College for a special Employer Gala Dinner as part of our celebrations for Staffordshire Day New City College has been officially graded as Outstanding by Ofsted – the highest possible accolade that can be achieved following an inspection AN INAUGURAL childcare expo celebrating learner achievement and the “best of the industry” will be hosted by Coleg Cambria Dumfries and Galloway College (DGC) is proud to announce its nomination for a prestigious Herald Education Award in the ‘Partnership with Schools’ category The Sheffield College has earned recognition for educating and training the next generation of elite basketball talent New funding will transform educational facilities for students with additional learning needs (ALN) in FE Colleges across Wales Harvard economist David Deming published a landmark analysis on the value of human capital to business and national economies You must be logged in to post a comment By Matt Hall | 25th August 2022 After delivering 97 properties in phase one at Pirton Fields Ashberry Homes has begun construction on a further 141 homes on the site with 165 of those provided as affordable housing for local people through rent or shared ownership With phase two of the development given the green light by Tewkesbury Borough Council in April said: "The second phase at Pirton Fields will deliver an additional mix of two three and four-bedroom properties in a highly sought-after and desirable semi-rural location at the north-western edge of the village "Pirton Fields is a significant scheme for Churchdown and our involvement in the scheme underlines our commitment to delivering much-needed new homes and infrastructure improvements in the village." As part of the planning agreement for Pirton Fields Bellway and Ashberry Homes are together providing more than £5 million towards local services including £2.7 million for the construction of a new primary school and £1.7 million towards additional facilities for secondary education at Chosen Hill School There will be a further £765,000 to Tewkesbury Borough Council to fund improvements to transport infrastructure in the area Mr Shone added: "The mix of homes being delivered here will cater for a range of buyers with different needs and budgets while we are also providing a substantial number of affordable homes for those unable to access the housing market "Pirton Fields will make a significant contribution towards meeting the target of 638 new homes per year which need building across Tewkesbury as outlined in the Tewkesbury Borough Plan." Home > Skills, Jobs & Apprenticeships By Sarah Wood | 15th December 2021 A local site manager helped an infant school in Churchdown save thousands of pounds ready for brand new play equipment to be installed Pupils at Parton Manor Infant School will now be able to use the rejuvenated playground after Colin Wedge site manager at Ashberry Homes' nearby Pirton Fields development who are based at the development a mile away from the school Colin said: "It was great to give something back to the local community and I thought it would be good to offer our help to Parton Manor to see what could be done "After a couple of visits to the school to see what we were working with we took the team up on a Saturday and got the work completed in a single day "It has been great to help the school out in a small community and this type of work goes a long way There are a couple of families who have moved onto the development with children who attend the school so it's good to foster good relationships between us." swinging ropes and trim trail installed and ready to use federation business manager at Parton Manor who very kindly offered his services to us which has been a massive benefit to the school it was great of Colin and his team to help us out by delivering the work we snapped his hand off as this sort of help is difficult to get a hold of "Everyone is looking forward to the equipment being installed and the wider team at Ashberry Homes for helping us out and supporting the local community school." Pirton Fields is a development of 465 homes being delivered by Ashberry Homes and Bellway With its grand opening just around the corner Cotswolds Designer Outlet is holding a recruitment fair next week Hartpury University and Hartpury College gave students opportunities to develop business ideas at a Dragons’ Den-style event University of Gloucestershire has won a new national for supporting students to develop skills for global careers By Sarah Wood | 2nd November 2022 Morrisons is planning to close 132 loss-making McColl's convenience stores The McColl's store in Churchdown is one of those set to shut But Morrisons said staff will be offered jobs elsewhere in the business Morrisons bought McColl's out of administration in May It now plans to convert most of the remaining McColl's shops into Morrisons Daily convenience stores There are currently 1,164 McColl's stores trading 286 of which already operate as Morrisons Daily stores The supermarket chain said all of the stores earmarked for closure are "loss-making" with "no realistic prospect" of recovering soon Scotland and Wales and will be closed over the remainder of this year Fifty-five of the stores set to close have a Post Office counter and Morrisons said it will delay the closure of these stores until after Christmas Self-taught Gloucester baker celebrates two deliciously sweet years of success in the county this July 2022 – with some exciting news in the pipeline. After losing her job during the pandemic, Gloucester born Noushien Khazeni-Rad used the opportunity to launch The Village Cakery – her own home-baking business – and is now celebrating two flourishing years at her store in Churchdown. Starting out in July 2020, Noushien had to take care of everything from the marketing and branding to the advertising and baking – offering brownies, blondies, cookie pies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, bespoke occasion cakes and more. Within three months, she opened the doors to her cake shop in Churchdown village, which soon attracted queues of sweet-toothed fans, who would buy up all her bakes on most days. In the beginning, Noushien underestimated quite how popular the business would be – ‘It was all very new and I didn’t even hire staff, as I didn’t think it would be that busy. My family came to the rescue and helped out in the shop, whilst I baked like mad to keep up with demand.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Village Cakery (@the.villagecakery) The Village Cakery now has a team of four people, who all live within the Churchdown area. Noushien aims to help the local economy and engage young people who want to gain experience. The staff are given training and opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills – including attending events on behalf of the bakery. Reflecting on the success of the business, Noushien said: ‘We are all like friends, we know customers’ names and their orders and make a real effort to get to know people.’ View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Village Cakery (@the.villagecakery) people who lived on their own or just wanted to have a chat would come to the Cakery; it was seen as a sociable place to be and that is my biggest achievement.’ The Village Cakery has some exciting plans in the pipeline which includes further expanding the business the bakery is adding another behind the scenes kitchen For more information, including prices and opening times, visit the-villagecakery.co.uk Weekly lifestyle and business highlights straight to your inbox Being able to favourite articles is just one of a host of member exclusive benefits Being able to create your own lists is just one of a host of member exclusive benefits By Simon Hacker | 22nd April 2024 Gloucester's business community has reacted with shock and sadness to news of the death of demolition king Richard "Dick" Bishop within weeks of diagnosis of a terminal illness played a pivotal role in changing the face of the city BB Enterprises Ltd has been involved in landmark development work to the city over the decades gaining a strong reputation for demolition who lived in Churchdown and was born in 1967 was a mainstay in the family business which was established by his father in 1964 and spent his entire career working to ensure the steady growth and success of the firm had been clearly destined for his job from childhood Mum and Dad knew that if you let him go outside he'd come back covered in oil They even found him sleeping under a lorry he was doing demolition and it was in his blood." suffered from sudden back pain in February Jane added: "It has been a terrible shock because it has been so quick He was diagnosed on February 27 and given a terminal cancer diagnosis that night after lung cancer was identified "Sadly his health deteriorated really quickly and it has been heartbreaking for all the family You should not have to see your child go before you "They travelled so much together when travel became a big thing to Dick in recent years They visited Dubai and so many places – they also planned a trip to Vietnam Sadly they never got the chance for this last trip but Dick was amazingly brave - he never moaned about what happened and he just said it is what it is." will be held this Friday (April 26) at St Bartholemew's Church with a wake afterwards at Brickhampton Court Golf Club Attendees are asked to confirm to Jane via Dick Bishop's Facebook page said: "I knew Dick from many chats we had over a cappucino and a cigar discussing the future for Gloucester Quays wearing wellies and his jumper full of holes The mistake to make would be thinking he was simply a workman but he was a very astute businessman with the ability to see opportunity where others didn't He had his finerprints on the Spinnaker Park and Baker's Quay projects – with his demolition hard hat on Dick and thanks for the memories of our times together working to make Gloucester a better place." Investigations will continue today (Tuesday October 5) into a fatal collision in Churchdown in which a pedestrian The incident which involved a black Mercedes Benz E class happened at Station Road in the village Emergency services, including the air ambulance, were deployed but the man, who police said was from the local area, was pronounced dead at the scene Read more: Rat the size of a cat found in toilet terrifies Gloucester pensioner Police officers remained in the Station Road area into Monday evening and the road remained closed for much of the day only reopening at around 9.30pm last night The man's next of kin has been informed Investigating officers would like to hear from anyone who has not already been spoken to and who may have witnessed what happened Anyone who has dashcam footage of the collision or any footage that they may feel may be relevant is also asked to get in contact Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android By Bethany Winter | 10th July 2020 Four men have been charged in connection with an incident of shoplifting in Tewkesbury last week Ian Bannister 67 and of Zinnia Close in Churchdown James Patrick Williams 36 and of Coriander Drive in Churchdown Wesley Bowen 41 and of Gloucester Road in Staverton and David Sullivan 33 and also of Coriander Drive in Churchdown were charged with theft from a shop The men were released on police bail to appear at Cheltenham Magistrates Court' on Thursday 6 August The charges relate to an incident on Ashchurch Road last Thursday evening (2 July) where shoplifting was reported at a petrol station and a quantity of alcohol and food was recovered Read more: Four men arrested on suspicion of shoplifting after being stopped by police officer  By Sarah Wood | 25th July 2023 Schoolchildren had the chance to learn about careers in the construction industry A group of 19 year 10 students from Churchdown School Academy were given a behind-the-scenes tour of Asberry Homes' Pirton Fields site The students and their teachers were welcomed to the development by site manager as well as the skills and attributes required to build a successful career in construction The visit ended with a question-and-answer session in which he offered advice and tips on how to stand out when applying for jobs in the industry year 10 teacher at Churchdown School Academy said: "When Ashberry Homes reached out to see if our students would like to visit their new housing development nearby "Churchdown is a close-knit village and some of the students and their families actually live at Pirton Fields so it was a rare opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look into how their homes were constructed at the development "When Colin talked to them about overseeing new-build homes under construction it added substance and weight to the project as they learnt about the steps needed to develop the site - from land acquisition through to planning and design and the sales process I want to thank Ashberry Homes for arranging this site visit - these community links are so important to us "The memories and opportunities we can provide our students are equally as important as the grades they achieve Opportunities such as the site visit to Pirton Fields can open their eyes to possible routes in the future and motivate them to push themselves further in their studies and achieve great things." said: "We pride ourselves on building relationships with local schools close to where we build so it was a pleasure to welcome students from Churchdown School Academy to Pirton Fields so they could find out more about the development and the housebuilding industry more widely "Year 10 is a time when many students will be thinking about their future careers so we hope to have given them a valuable insight into a potential career path that they might not have previously considered." A Gloucestershire man says he will spend “up to his last penny” in taking the council to court over plans to place a bus stop right outside his village home. Clive Ashford, who lives Churchdown says the planned bus shelter on the junction with Pirton Lane is dangerous He along along with his next door neighbour Mary West are opposing the plans to relocate the bus stop which is currently next to the Esso garage in Cheltenham Road East Highways chiefs say they need to move the stop across the road to accommodate the new cycle lane which is being built through the village READ MORE: Soaring energy prices force deaf woman to unplug life saving fire alarm device “There’s a bus stop planned to be built right outside our house and our neighbour’s house “The bus stop at the moment is next to the garage over the road and they’re moving it over here They knocked on our doors and told us they were going to do it “We’ve got a right of way across this land And I’m going to spend my last penny fighting them in court.” He said contractors employed by the council to work on the cycle path have contacted him several times to say they are going to place the bus stop outside his home “I tried to reason with them. I said they could put up the road 80 yards outside Tesco "They wouldn’t give up and have come back twice knocking on the door but I told them I’m going to fight them with my last penny It’s dangerous to put in on the apex of a junction "The visibility for traffic and pedestrians is terrible They say they are moving it from the garage because there’s not enough width to the road for the cycle track I’m ready to spend my last penny fighting this in court "I’ve written to the guy in charge of the council and have been told that’s the only place they can put it I think they are going to go ahead and start building it but they haven’t yet.” said she did not see the point of moving the bus stop She also raised concerns about safety given the proximity of the church and the school “We have a bus stop across the way that seems to function very well I don’t see the point of putting it across our two properties in front of the house They’re going to put a bus shelter there which is also going to obscure our vision.” A spokesperson for Gloucestershire County Council said they are aware of the concerns raised by Mr Ashford They are in discussions with him regarding the matters around the bus stop relocation “The six-mile active travel route along the B4063, will provide a continuous off-road route from Cheltenham to Gloucester for walkers and cyclists of all ages and abilities It will help to reduce traffic congestion and create a greener Gloucestershire by lowering carbon emissions while encouraging more active travel “The current proposals follow a full consultation in 2021 door to door engagement and a public event held last year and we’ve been carrying out follow up visits to meet with residents regarding any queries they have about the cycle route.” Try out Brickhampton's new Trackman driving range and enjoy a complimentary burger while you perfect your swing or warm up for a round of golf What's better than a great game of golf in the sunshine SoGlos has teamed up with Brickhampton Court Golf Complex in Churchdown to make sure this summer is sizzling in the best possible way, with free burgers served up in July and August 2023 for golfers on its revamped driving range. The £200,000 state-of-the-art TrackMan Range technology was installed into the complex's 28 floodlit and fully carpeted bays in February 2023. TrackMan offers a whole new way to practice golf, play and have fun with the industry's best virtual golf, practice, and entertainment software. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SoGlos (@soglos) Users can play on some of the best courses in the world work on any aspect of their game and get insightful reports with golfers able to play alone or challenge friends to games like nearest the pin There are also children’s games on the system For more information visit brickhampton.co.uk/soglosburger The playground space at Parton Manor will now have a brand-new trampoline swinging ropes and trim trail installed all ready to use By InYourArea Community · 18 January 2022 Pupils at Parton Manor Infant School with Colin Wedge Image: Clint Randall pixelprphotography.co.uk A local site manager has helped an infant school in Gloucestershire save thousands of pounds after excavating a derelict playground Pupils at Parton Manor Infant School in Churchdown, in Gloucestershire will now be able to use the rejuvenated playground after Colin Wedge Colin and his assistant Luke Nicholls completed the excavation in a single day Colin said: “It was great to give something back to the local community and I thought it would be good to offer our help to Parton Manor to see what could be done “After a couple of visits to the school to see what we were working with It has been great to help the school out in a small community and this type of work goes a long way.” said: “We were approached by Colin who very kindly offered his services to us “With the school’s funds budget so tight now “Everyone is looking forward to the equipment being installed and the wider team for helping us out and supporting the local community school.” Get all the latest news, updates, things to do and more from Gloucestershire's dedicated InYourArea feed LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} where visitors can take a tour of homes at different stages of construction It is being organised by Ashberry Homes – which is part of the Bellway Group – at its Ashberry at Pirton Fields development Visitors will be able to visit the two-bedroom Azalea and Sundew house styles and the three-bedroom Valerian at the event on Saturday will be fitted out with flooring and blinds on the day READ MORE: Development of 97 homes near M5 junction sees first homes go on sale said: “This is a great opportunity for potential customers to see the development take shape It’s a chance to find out how the homes are constructed and will be a very different experience from visiting a finished showhome “Visitors will learn about the materials used and the energy efficiency measures that are built into the design from the ground up They will also get a feel for the excellent quality of the homes “Building sites are normally just for the building professionals but we are arranging this occasion so that customers get the chance to safely have a look around some unfinished plots It’s a rare chance to see behind the scenes." House-hunters will be taken around the site on the day by Sales Advisor Jo-Ann from Ashberry Homes Visitors will need to wear sturdy boots and will be supplied with hard hats and hi-vis to wear on the day Ashberry Homes is building 238 properties at the development as part of a joint venture with Bellway which will deliver in total 465 new homes Among the new properties in the wider development there will be 163 affordable homes available for local people through rent or shared ownership The wider project is bringing in £5.7 million in investment for services and infrastructure in the area – money which the developers pledge to give as part of the planning agreement three and four-bedroom houses available to reserve at Ashberry at Pirton Fields Appointments are between 11am and 4pm on the day, and to book a place on the ‘Dusty Boots’ day, call the sales team at Ashberry at Pirton Fields on 01452 405593. More information about the development can be found here Get the best stories about the things you love most curated by us and delivered to your inbox every day. Choose what you love here By Sarah Wood | 8th March 2024 GE Aerospace has a wide range of 12-month opportunities across its UK sites for students who have a placement year as part of their academic studies which has sites in Bishop's Cleeve and Churchdown is holding an online event about placements on March 20 is aimed at students looking for a placement for 2025 Placements are an opportunity to gain real work experience with the potential for a graduate job at the end of it A new double roundabout was created overnight on a key route between Gloucester and Cheltenham The new road layout is part of a way to mange traffic through the B4063 Hare and Hounds junction in Churchdown while work on the new cycle route linking the spa town and the city continues A full closure at the Cheltenham Road East junction with Innsworth Lane and Parton Road was being in place on Wednesday (January 4) Residents were told the new junction was due to operational from 6am on Thursday (January 5) This follows a four-way temporary traffic light system being put in place on Tuesday and a traffic island removed Read more: Weapons, stolen dogs and 300 champagne bottles found in Quedgeley raid An email sent by Gloucestershire County Council to residents said: “The double roundabout will remove the need for temporary traffic lights and improve the flow of traffic in the area while works on the B4063 cycleway to link Gloucester and Cheltenham continue The double roundabouts will be a temporary measure but are anticipated to be in place for 14 months “The new signalised junction will be constructed in the final phase of work.” The changes have prompted some concerns about how pedestrians will be able to cross the busy junction safely The roadworks themselves also prompted an outpouring of frustration on social media overnight People complained about being sent on long diversions to get home The six-mile cycle path between Cheltenham and Gloucester will provide a continuous off-road route for cyclists of all ages and abilities helping to reduce traffic congestion and carbon emissions while encouraging more active travel What do you think of the double roundabout plan Get the biggest stories from across Gloucestershire straight to your inbox, click here By Sarah Wood | 24th January 2024 Tewkesbury Borough Council is considering changing its name from April 1 The council said: "It has become clear from recent feedback from community groups businesses and parishes that the name 'Tewkesbury Borough' isn't considered representative of our entire borough - it tends to be more associated with Tewkesbury Town "We want to ensure our name is as inclusive as it possibly can be - our borough covers 160 square miles and includes other large areas such as Brockworth Winchcombe and Churchdown - and many more!" the council is considering changing its name because it needs to update its existing logo which it said is "out of date and difficult to use on digital assets such as the website and online forms" The council has now decided to see what residents think about a potential name change which has been suggested multiple times by different groups The council said the cost of changing its name would be 'very minimal' with design work done in-house and phased in over time It said: "The main way in which our logo is now used is on digital assets (such as our website and online forms) "Any physical signage would be updated as part of the sign's normal maintenance to avoid any additional costs." The council said there wouldn't be any legal issues associated with a name change and the status of the council would remain as a borough Residents can have their say on the potential name change on the Council Plan consultation on Tewkesbury Borough Council's website It was reported in 2022 that typical costs for council rebranding are between £475,000 and £727,000 according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service Punchline-Gloucester.com said: "While it might seem strange for people living in Churchdown it seems like madness in these times of austerity to be changing a council's name We do hope Tewkesbury Borough Council is right that it is able to keep its costs to a minimum." What do you think? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk set up a camera phone in a washbag and leave it in a bathroom where he was able to film a woman before and after she showered Credit: Gloucestershire PoliceA 'calculating' man from Churchdown who sexually assaulted a woman while she was trying to sleep has been jailed pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman and secretly filming two others He had previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual assault against one woman and two counts of voyeurism against two further women Russ was sentenced to six years and five months in prison when he appeared at Gloucester Crown Court she had started to go to sleep when Russ pulled her pyjama bottoms down and sexually assaulted her She was able to stop him and challenge his behaviour Russ got into bed with her while she again tried to sleep and he sexually assaulted her The court heard that the day before the first incident Russ had used his tablet device to search for sleep disorders involving sexual behaviour Russ also admitted to secretly filming women without their knowledge or consent One incident saw him set up a camera phone in a washbag and leave it in a bathroom Another time involved a camera hidden in an alarm clock which he set up in a room being used by a different woman Russ pleaded guilty on the first day of trial in October 2023 Russ has been put on the Sex Offenders Register for life and restraining orders have been put in place to protect the women The officer who led the investigation from Gloucestershire Constabulary said: "I believe the fact that he searched for sleep disorders shows that Russ's actions were premeditated "We would like to commend all three victims who came forward to speak to officers and support police action they did not want to proceed with the investigation This is the choice of any victim of any crime and their decisions were respected at the time "They came back to police at a later stage "It cannot be underestimated the strength that each of these victims has shown in providing the evidence to take this forward." 23 FEB 2021BookmarkAn NPAS helicopter was deployed during the searchA woman is now receiving medical attention after police launched a missing persons appeal to find her Emergency services embarked on a search operation this afternoon (Tuesday, February 23), after a woman went missing from Churchdown, near Gloucester The 30-year-old was reported missing at 1pm and Gloucestershire Police posted an appeal on social media at 3.30pm Within half an hour of the post going live An update from police read: "30-year-old Claire who was reported missing this afternoon has been located and is now receiving medical attention "Officers would like to thank everyone who shared our previous appeal to locate her." To get breaking news like this straight to your inbox, click here Police officers were aided in their search by the National Police Air Service a lifeboat and inland search and rescue team Police did not give any further details about where the woman was found Arrest after feast of onion rings, ice cream and gin seized Dog walker says men pushed her over at popular Gloucester park By Matt Hall | 28th January 2022 Gloucester-based Newland Homes has secured a new development site between Gloucester and Cheltenham The circa 20-acre development parcel is located to the Southwest of Churchdown and was earmarked for development within the Joint Core Strategy in 2017 It now forms part of the South Churchdown Strategic Allocation Barnwood-based Newland Homes said it will prepare a scheme of low and zero carbon housing to sustainably develop the site There will be a period of public consultation before a planning application is submitted It is anticipated that this will provide up to 145 new homes including affordable housing and community green open space Newland Homes has recently been granted Reserved Matters consent for 22 zero carbon homes on Kidnappers Lane in Leckhampton near Cheltenham Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the scheme praising the company's commitment to zero carbon A carbon neutral company, Newland Homes is the first traditional housebuilder to sign up to the United Nations' Climate Neutral Now pledge the company is on course to achieve at least a 50 per cent reduction in company carbon emissions by the end of 2024 Newland Homes has spent the last two years investing in measures to decarbonise its homes well ahead of the Government's timeframe for lowering carbon emissions in new builds It is hoped that the new homes close to Churchdown will utilise sustainably sourced materials and renewable energy technologies The result is homes which create as much prime energy as they need at zero cost to the homeowner thanks to their use of air source heat pumps and solar panels said: "As a company we are increasingly being singled out by landowners and agents as a housebuilder that deliver schemes which are stylish highly sustainable and will stand the test of time." "I am delighted that we have secured this prime development opportunity in Churchdown and it was a pleasure dealing with Philip Pratt at Alder King Property Consultants in Gloucester who acted on behalf of the landowner The Newland team was ably supported by Colin Stratton of Osborne Clarke Solicitors in Bristol." The Newland Homes site is located adjacent to the emerging Bellway Homes and Ashberry Homes development where 465 new homes are already under construction For further information about Newland Homes, please visit www.newlandhomes.co.uk or call 01452 623000