New £372m motorway junction 'to open in 2029'

A new junction providing better access to the M5 motorway is expected to be finished in 2029.

Work on the £372m M5 junction 10 improvements scheme near Cheltenham began earlier this year, with archaelogical digs and the construction of bat roosts.

Once complete, the upgrade is expected to free up land for 20,000 new homes.

It is also aimed at supporting the Golden Valley and National Cyber Innovation Centre developments, which are expected to create about 12,000 jobs in the area.

In January, Gloucestershire County Council said an additional £71.5m had been approved for the scheme, which received developmental consent in June 2025.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the scheme includes widening the A4019 Tewkesbury Road and the creation of a new link road to the B4634 in West Cheltenham.

Cycle paths, walkways and flood mitigation measures will also be included.

Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson said it was a relief to finally see progress at the site as the deficiencies at junction 10 have been a longstanding bugbear of residents

"After so many years of campaigning, it's a relief to finally see progress – not least because the upgrade will unleash the full potential of the Golden Valley development," he said.

"That will bring billions of pounds of investment to our town, generating thousands of good jobs in cyber and tech and building on the expertise we already have at GCHQ and our thriving cyber ecosystem."

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