Gloucester Docks

The role of Gloucester Docks as a visitor attraction of national importance will be reinforced by an expanded range of shops, bars, restaurants, apartments, public squares and waterfront viewing areas. These facilities will be served by a new multistorey car park and will be overlooked by a high quality office development on Southgate Moorings.

The working tradition of the docks will be emphasised by the continued operation of the Boat Repair Yard and Dry Docks and the presence of tall ships and historic vessels. A high quality public realm will reflect and interpret the unique heritage of the site.

Site description

Gloucester Docks is in close proximity to the historic city centre and the site is dominated by a range of massive and imposing Victorian Warehouses. The entire location is a conservation area, but nearly all of the historic buildings have been sympathetically and successfully restored and redeveloped as offices, apartments and visitor attractions.

Outputs

• 0.5 ha of brownfield land redeveloped
• 1,500 sq m bars and restaurants
• 236 new homes (to-date)
• 600 new jobs
• 12,000 sq m offices
• 400 space multi-storey car park
• £55m private sector leverage

29 February 2012

Gloucester Docks

Work on ‘Route 1’ (alongside Victoria Dock, up Kimbrose Steps and along Southgate Street) is now complete, and an independent appraisal has shown that the number of pedestrians using the route has increase by 19% over a survey carried out before the works were undertaken. Far more private sector investment took place in the City centre between 2009 and 2011 than had been expected by the consultants, and in part this must be a measure of the success of the linkages scheme.

The scheme was commended by the Royal Town Planning Institute through its awards scheme in 2011.

Waterways Museum

The Museum continues to attract visitors to both its displays and to the boats that operate on the Sharpness canal, and should reach its targets in the current financial year. The Museum and its ‘Friends’ group recently secured funding from the Heritage Lottery towards the restoration of the Steam dredger ‘No 4’ which forms one of the floating exhibits at the Museum.

Merchants Quay

Crest Nicholson have been undertaking the development of 48 flats and apartments, above retail units. 42 of the units have now been sold.

The Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) have appointed Stride Treglown as the architects for their proposed 10,000 sq m Headquarters building on the Southgate Moorings site.

Gloucester Quays

Gloucester Quays LLP advise that their December 2011 sales were 6.4% ahead on the corresponding period in 2010 and footfall up by 8%.

The Quays Victorian Market was held over the weekend of the 24th to 27th November and attracted 83,000 visitors and over 70 stallholders. In 2010 the same event had only 25 stalls.

Planning consent was granted in March 2012 for a £60 million enhancement of the Gloucester Quays development, including a new 10 screen cinema and the conversion of ground floor units for restaurant use.

A planning application has been submitted for the redevelopment of the existing cinema, to the south of St Ann’s way. A decision is expected in May 2012.

Marstons commenced construction of their family themed pub/restaurant on St Ann’s Way in December 2011, with completion expected in June 2012.