Development partner sought for £400m scheme

A search has been launched for a development partner for a £400m project on a site adjacent to GCHQ.The development will feature Cyber Central, a campus focused on the rapidly growing cyber-tech sector, as well as providing more than 3,000 homes.Avison Young has been selected by Cheltenham Borough Council to lead the search, which is supported by the Department of International Trade as a project of international significance.At the heart of Cyber Central is the Cyber Innovation Centre which brings together GCHQ’s innovation programmes, academia, business and event space; offering up to two million sq ft of commercial floor space.The Golden Valley Garden Community will be a sustainable development, supported with shops, cafes, restaurants, and leisure facilities.Cheltenham Borough Council has demonstrated its long-term commitment to the development with the acquisition of 45 hectares of allocated greenfield land. This investment of £37.5m is the biggest single purchase ever made by the council.It is intended that a partner will be appointed in spring 2021.