£45m investment plans for deprived area of Gloucester kicked out by councillors
Just how hard is it to reduce the housing waiting list? Very hard. After eight years in the planning a £45m investment plan for one of Gloucester’s most deprived areas was refused last night.
Dear readers,
A slightly earlier edition this week - mainly because of the news below in our main story, all about the end of plans for a major investment in Gloucester.
The decision last night (Tuesday 1 July) to refuse what would have been a major development in a deprived part of the city with a high need for housing highlights just how difficult building homes can be in the UK and the ongoing issues around housing shortages and planning.
From the pressures on planning officers to the demands on housing associations and local authorities to build homes, the rising housing waiting lists and the responsibilities of councillors to their constituents, as well as the pressure from the public - this had it all.
But while it was bad news for those on the housing waiting lists in Gloucester, at the other end of the Golden Valley it was a different story - albeit on a smaller scale.
This morning (Thursday 2 July) it emerged that the same body that earmarked £20 million towards the defunct Gloucester Scheme (Homes England) has also given £2.8 million to another project at the other end of the Golden Valley.
And Cheltenham Borough Council has now named the contractor that will lead on that project - to build 17 apartments and seven houses at 320 Swindon. All of which will be available through social rent and shared ownership.
You can read the press release on that one here.
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Andrew.
Andrew Merrell (editor).
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£45m investment plans for deprived area of Gloucester kicked out by councillors
Just how hard is it to reduce the housing waiting list? Very hard. After eight years in the planning a £45m investment scheme for one of Gloucester’s most deprived areas was refused last night.
A scheme described as a “once-in-a-generation transformation” of one of Gloucester’s most deprived areas, that has been eight years in the planning and would result in a £45 million investment, was dead in the water last night (Tuesday 1 July).
After winning £20m from Homes England and spending the last eight years working on the project, and working closely with the city council - to build 170-plus ‘social rent homes’, business space and invest £1.3m in public spaces in Podsmead - Gloucester City Homes saw the scheme refused by councillors from the same local authority.
Back at the start of the year the city council had surprised GCH by asking for extra feasibility sudies and reports to be done that meant the plans could not be consider by the committee in February as planned.
At the time GCH had warned this put the regeneration project at risk as the Homes England funding was conditional on work starting in March 2025.
It was an unexpected enough request to prompt GCH’s chief executive officer, Guy Stenson, to say that the council had thrown it a “curveball” that could jeopardise the vital Homes England funding.
Luckily Homes England subsequently extended its deadline.
But now, after dusting itself off and working to bring the project back to the planning committee before the new deadline, GCH has been left stunned once more. Its disbelief obvious.
“We are hugely disappointed by Gloucester City Council’s decision not to support the regeneration of Podsmead – a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform an area that has faced decades of underinvestment,” said a statement from the independent housing association, which has 12,500 customers in the city living in 5,000 homes.
“The proposals were developed over eight years in partnership with the council, who were instrumental in shaping the plans, including agreeing to the transfer of land to enable delivery.
“The regeneration programme was co-designed with the local community, reflecting the diverse voices, needs and aspirations of Podsmead residents.”
As well as 172 new homes and investment in public space the scheme had promised to plant 241 trees, £649,000 to ‘enhance place’, create new sports facilities, including a BMX track and a fitness trail, improve local shopping and health services and deliver 359 square metres of commercial space.
Alexandra Egge, a planning consultant from Nash Partnership acting on behalf of GCH, told the committee the scheme would help address the needs of the 5,000-plus people on social housing waiting list in Gloucester (as of October 2024) and provide 15 four and five-bedroom homes - “some of the most in-demand size homes”.
“Gloucester has 244 families waiting for four-bed homes and 65 waiting for five-bedroom homes,” said Egge.
Just days before last night’s planning decision, Stenson had told Raikes the project “represents years of planning, partnership and consultation. It is rooted in the needs and ambitions of the local community”.
“The development will create employment and training opportunities during construction and beyond, as well as improved health and wellbeing through access to green space, active travel, and reduced energy costs,” he said.
“What’s really encouraging is how closely this scheme aligns with the direction of national policy.
“There’s now a clear focus from Government to build more social housing and invest in communities that have been left behind.
“That’s exactly what this regeneration does – it delivers high-quality, affordable homes, reinvests in the heart of an existing neighbourhood, and brings in the kind of local services that support people’s health, wellbeing and future opportunities.”
Questions by the councillors who are members of the committee included concern over a loss of ‘green space’, whether penalties could be imposed on GCH if residents were forced to move more than once while waiting for the new homes to be completed, concern over the height of some of the properties, over how they looked, whether or not the orchard was an orchard or not, over increased traffic and the disruption that could be caused to local residents.
Legal advice from the council’s own team was that many of these matters had been commented on previously and addressed and there were no grounds for pushing back legally on any of them.
Not every councillor on the committee was against the plans.
Cllr Karen James said: “This is providing social housing for Gloucester and regenerating one of the most deprived parts of the city and I don’t see that we can turn it down on grounds such as that.
“I agree the loss of open space is regrettable, but there will be quality open space and I urge people to support it.”
Cllr Linda Castle was of a different view.
“We can’t rush this through,” she said.
Just two councillors voted in favour of the application.
Ashley Green was chairman of Podsmead Big Local, a resident led panel delivering community investment through lottery funding.
At least he was until the decision was made on Tuesday evening, after which he resigned.
“This is not a decision I have taken lightly, however following last nights’ decision by Gloucester City Council’s Planning Committee to oppose the planning application by Gloucester City Homes for the £45 million regeneration of new homes, shops, and inclusive play areas in Podsmead, I do not feel able to personally continue to invest my time in the community, knowing that this decision essentially closes down any hope for a positive future for the people of Podsmead that many dedicated people work so hard for.
“This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for Podsmead (and the wider City) that would have brought massive investment by Gloucester City Homes and significant opportunities to one of the most deprived areas of the city. This decision, in my view, will continue the cycle of deprivation and social exclusion that has existed for many years and for far too long.
“This is a very sad day for the residents of Podsmead.”
For GCH, it’s onto the next project.
“While this outcome is a setback for the community and a loss of £45 million of investment into the city, Gloucester City Homes is focused on delivering our mission to build homes and communities where people can thrive.
“We will continue to invest in improving existing homes and neighbourhoods, and we are actively progressing other developments to meet housing need across the county.”
“Work will soon begin on three new affordable housing schemes in Twyning (near Tewkesbury) and Whitminster (near Frampton on Severn and junction 13 of the M5), and we remain committed to delivering high-quality homes and services for all our customers,” said the statement from GCH.