PLANS for nearly 230 new homes on a former Royal Navy base in Yate have been submitted to South Gloucestershire Council.

Developers Taylor Wimpey want to build 228 homes on the former Sea Stores site, on Kennedy Way, making it the largest housing estate to be built in the town since the final stage of Brimsham Park was completed 12 years ago.

The development will be called Elswick Park, after a Royal Navy ship, as the land was used in the run up to the D-Day landings in 1944 to house Royal Navy equipment.

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said: "The aim is to create a sense of place with an excellent residential environment using houses and apartments, as well as private and public spaces, to provide an intimate and pleasing development with a strong community spirit.

"The site is close to the town centre and has potential to provide a full range of new accommodation, including local needs, small households and family housing.

"It also includes an area of land reserved for possible community users."

The town council is hoping the scheme will see funds released to build a concert hall and performance venue.

A third of all the homes built on the site would be earmarked for affordable housing to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder. The firm said the high number of houses on the site reflected how close it was to the town centre and the urban nature of the area.

Taylor Wimpey has been in discussions with South Gloucestershire Council and Yate Town Council over the plans for 16 months, after it bought the 12-acre site for £12million from the Highways Agency.

Warehouses have already been demolished on the land in preparation of the development but some neighbouring residents, in Cabot Close, have already expressed concern about the density of housing and protecting the local wildlife.

Several meetings have already been held to discuss saving a large population of slow worms, which live on the land.

Cllr Chris Willmore said: "We have agreed most of the worms can be moved to Tylers Field, in Brimsham Park.

"Relocation would result in a significant change to the management Tylers Field and it would be a very different open space."

Yate Town Council is displaying details of the proposals at its council offices in Poole Court until Monday, August 17. Members of the public are welcome to view the plans during office hours.

The council’s planning committee will then discuss the application at a meeting on Monday, August 17 (7.30pm) at Poole Court.