North Ashchurch Consortium reached a major milestone on 16 June 2025 when Tewkesbury Borough Council (TBC) validated their Outline Planning Application to build up to 2800 new homes on land north of the A46 in Ashchurch. The proposal can be viewed online, at:
and comments can be submitted by email before 4 August 2025 to: developmentapplications@tewkesbury.gov.uk quoting the application number 25/00490/OUT.
There are strict rules regarding objecting to planning applications; fortunately raising traffic and transportation concerns is allowed.
During the consultation last year, residents wanted to know more about the effect of the proposed development on A46 congestion.
The Consortium’s transport consultants have now modelled the flow of traffic in the local area and concluded that congestion could be reduced by closing the B4079 to through traffic on the Bredon side of Aston Cross. That traffic would be rerouted via the new Central Street, passing through the eastern local centre, depicted above left.
Other proposed changes include adding an extra eastbound lane on the A46 between Alexandra Way and Northway Lane, thus removing the precarious merge in to a single lane shortly after Alexandra Way.
Unfortunately, the proposals do not include an extra westbound lane for the A46 between Northway Lane and Alexandra Way; so the queuing currently experienced there, in particular during the PM peak period, is unlikely to improve.
Between 16:15 - 17:15 on 21 January 2025, I counted 770 vehicles travelling west over the railway bridge and heading towards the M5 (pictured on the right). My non-expert opinion was that the road was heavily congested with significant queuing.
The consultants’ modelling shows that during PM peak hour the proposed development would result in up to 131 extra vehicles travelling westbound over the A46 railway bridge and up to 112 extra journeys south on the M5 from J9. It is not clear to me why that should be the case.
The new Designer Outlet Centre opens later this month. It will interesting to see what impact that has on traffic queuing.
One factor that will certainly impact westbound traffic flow on A46 during the next few years, will be the increase in the number of residents returning home, at the end of their working day, to the many new homes being built around Fiddington.
Proponents may argue that the queueing on the A46 is no worse than many other roads around the Country. While that may be true, this is the first time I have heard anyone advocating rerouting heavy goods vehicles through the centre of a new community, where their speed will be limited to 20 MPH.
If, like me, you have concerns about this proposal, please share them with TBC planners ( developmentapplications@tewkesbury.gov.uk quoting 25/00490/OUT ).
Thank you
Nigel