Full planning permission was granted for the construction of 144 new homes on land at Gloucester Park, formerly used for car parking and a swimming pool.

This development will help to fund the next phase of major improvements to the southern part of Gloucester Park.

The council also granted outline planning permission for 375 residential units, as well as a hotel and leisure on for land presently occupied by the park lake and bowls club.

Some 13 hectares will be revamped to create a ‘city park’ with better pathways, lighting, drainage and new bowling greens, skateboard park and children’s play area.

As part of the plan the developer will fund the creation of a wide boulevard stretching from the town centre to the park.

A new lake will be provided as part of a water course fed from the collection of surface water runoff across the town.

Lauren Dooley, an associate planner in Barton Willmore’s London office which provided planning and environmental consultancy for the applications, said: “This is an exciting start to the overall regeneration of the town centre.

“The first phases of construction work will include residential development to provide new family homes, and the creation of a new lake, along with a much-needed range of cafes and restaurants to boost the leisure offer in the town centre.”