Springbank Road

SPRINGBANK, HESTER'S WAY

Springbank and Hester’s Way are situated on the western edge of Cheltenham. Together they have the population of almost 12,000. Before the post-war development of new housing, this area was known as Arle, after Arle Court House, built in Elizabethan times. Although now at slightly different location than the original 16th century building, Arle Court is now home to Cheltenham Film Studios.

Planning for a post-war housing scheme for up to 2,000 homes near St. Mark's had begun by September 1942 and Cheltenham Borough Council gradually started to purchase the land. This new development was named Hester’s Way after Hester’s Way Farm which stood on this in the past mostly agricultural land. Boosted by the recent decision to move Government Communications Headquarters to the area, which needed sufficient housing for its employees, the estate was officially opened by then Princess Elizabeth on 16 March 1951. To mark the occasion, she planted a tree at the Gloucester Road end of Princess Elizabeth Way, which were to become a new arterial road named after her.

Coronation Square

Apart from GCHQ, Hester’s Way is home to Pates Grammar School, which has moved to its present premises by Princess Elizabeth Way in the 1960s, and GLOSCAT, Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology. Hester’s Way Park opened in 1957, and provides recreational facilities for local residents. Two large out-of-town retail outlets, Kingsditch Retail Park and Gallagher Retail Park are in the vicinity and offer a great choice for shopping.

Most of the houses in Springbank, which was named after a cottage built there around 1880 on a bank above a spring, were built in the 1960s and 1970s, when this residential area was developed. It now provides a mixture of private and social housing.

HISTORY

Although most of the housing comes from the post-war era, history of this part of Cheltenham dates back to the 7th century. In the middle ages, Arle Court was at the heart of the area and surrounding agricultural land was used for farming. Orchards were grown as well as tobacco.