Former RAF site to be transformed

There are also plans for new schools and surgeries

Work has started to build more than 2,500 new homes on the site of a former airbase in Gloucestershire.

The £300m development of RAF Quedgeley is linked to the completion of the long-awaited final section of Gloucester's south west bypass.

House-builder, Quedgeley Urban Village, is contributing £6m towards the £14m cost of constructing the road.

In addition to the 2,650 homes, there are plans for two new primary schools and doctors' and dental surgeries.

Royal links

The new estate was to have been called Eastchurch, but after consultation with local residents, the name was rejected in favour of King's Way, reflecting royal links to Quedgeley's past.

Edward II's body is reported to have been rested there after he was murdered at nearby Berkeley Castle.

Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn are said to have stayed at Little Thatch Inn in Quedgeley in 1535.

Road concerns

Work on the bypass is not expected for another two years, but many local residents believe it should have been completed first.

Julian Powell, chairman of Quedgeley parish council said: "We've been arguing for years that the road should be built before the houses.

"Local roads reached saturation point eight years ago. The average journey time to the city centre is 45 minutes for just a mile and quarter distance."

A public meeting is being held at the Community Centre on 10 February to discuss the development and local concerns.