£200m Gloucester regeneration project ‘well under way’

Gloucester city centre is due to be transformed with the likes of a new business hub. Developers have announced the first phase has commenced.

This week, developers have stated the first phase of the Gloucester city centre regeneration project, which is costing £200m, are now ‘well under way’.

A vast amount of improvements are due to fill the city centre, with Civic chief’s exclaiming The Forum, the new £107m business hub, will play a vital role in attracting new investment and transforming the area.

In addition to including a business hub, The Forum will also include a hotel, rooftop, bar, a gym, a multi-storey car park and 135,000 sq ft of office space aimed at attracting cyber businesses.

As well as creating a new business hub, the scheme also includes plans to revamp Kings Square and King’s Walk Shopping Centre.

Under the plans the University of Gloucestershire is redeveloping the former Debenhams store.

Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: ‘We’ve done a lot in the city centre – it’s not easy.

‘Everything costs a lot of money and it’s challenging in these difficult times, but in terms of capital investment, we’ve done relatively well.

‘We now demonstrate to the people in Gloucester and others in Cheltenham that we are outshining everyone else in the South West at the moment.’

The entire project is due to be fully completed in 2024, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Gloucester MP Richard Graham said the city has faced its challenges, however he believes the key to current success has been the eager nature of partners to work together.

Cllr Graham said: ‘We haven’t had non-stop successes; we’ve had some setbacks. There will always be projects still to do and things we need to work on.’

Image: Reef Group

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