A nervous time for the Golden Valley Development
Those involved with the Golden Valley Development predict spades will be in the ground this summer on the first phase, but a closer look reveals the detail threatening to stand in its way.
Dear reader,
I hope you had a great week.
We pay tribute to Gloucestershire College below, one of the organisations we have to thank for supporting The Raikes Journal and making it possible. But that’s not why we single it out. In fact, it wasn’t really us that singled it out - it was Ofsted.
The main lead is a reaction to a press release that went out earlier this month based on lines plucked from the planning application for the first phase of the Golden Valley Development championing it as ‘an exemplar of a green project’ done well’.
If that application is voted through by councillors on its planning committee in the next few days spades should finally go in the ground.
But it wasn’t the only comment made to officers in the planning application. Some of them struck a very different tone. The question is, how seriously will they impact its progress?
The council and its lead development partner HBD remain confident. But they would be, wouldn’t they?
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
College commended after first wave of new Ofsted inspections
Gloucestershire College is celebrating what it calls “a highly positive Ofsted report” following its recent inspection, one of the first further education colleges to face the new-look inspections. The just-published report confirms the college has consistently met a “high bar” across all fifteen graded judgements.
Matthew Burgess, principal and chief executive, said: “We are so pleased with the Ofsted report as it recognises the ongoing hard work of the staff and the progress made by our learners. Everyone works so hard to support all our learners to develop their confidence and resilience in readiness to be successful in their next steps.”
The Ofsted report highlighted how young learners at Gloucestershire College grow in confidence as they apply new knowledge and skills throughout their studies. Inspectors also noted that students become increasingly independent, supported by engaging lessons and meaningful practical experiences.
Learners were seen to behave well, demonstrate respect, and show positive attitudes to their education. Its provision for adult learners was also praised, and its apprenticeship courses were also singled out, praising assessors and teachers alike for listening to learners and their employers.
Briefing notes…
💷📈 Top 100: “Growth” across the board as Gloucestershire’s biggest business reports “significant progress”: Profit after tax at what is Gloucestershire’s biggest firm by ‘turnover’, St James’s Place, grew by 33 per cent to £531.4 million last year as the wealth manager saw funds under its control rise 15.8 per cent to £220 billion. More here.
🏭 Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain & Ireland has revealed it is to spend £25m on a new high-speed production line at its Forest of Dean factory. The investment will bring together production of its iconic drinks brands, Lucozade and Ribena, in a single manufacturing line. The plan is part of a wider £57m supply chain investment programme to boost manufacturing capability and future-proof the Coleford site.
🗳️ Much-loved National Star tried to be positive about this week’s White Paper from Government about special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision in the UK. But it had its concerns too. Lynette Barrett, chief executive of the charity, a provider of specialist further education, personal development and residential services for people with disabilities, outlined her concerns on LinkedIn. The charity, she said, was concerned about the proposals to restrict access to education, health and care plans (EHCPs) to those with the most ‘complex needs’, while not being clear about which children this meant. More here.
📸 Nathan Ryan has been appointed managing director of StillMoving, the Cheltenham-based, award-winning film and photography production company. It marks a progression for Ryan through the ranks from post-grad intern in 2017, including a return to his native Switzerland to fulfil national service in the Swiss Armed Forces, after which he rejoined the firm as a producer and retoucher. His credits now span campaigns for Porsche, Aston Martin, Superdry and Vax, he has helped shape national and global advertising work for leading brands.
Diary dates
Friday
🏉 Gloucester Hartpury play Exeter Chiefs Women at Kingsholm. KO 7.30pm.
⚽ Cheltenham Town FC play Harrogate Town away at 7.45pm.
Saturday
🍺🍺 Friends of Cheltenham Samaritans February Beer Festival. 1pm to 7.30pm. More here.
🏉 Gloucester Rugby play Bath Rugby, away. KO 3.05.
⚽ Gloucester City FC play Poole Town FC away at 3pm.
⚽ Forest Green Rovers FC play Gateshead FC away at 3pm.
Sunday
⚽ An Evening with Tony Adams MBE at Stonehouse Court Hotel. Former England football captain and Arsenal FC legend. More here.
Future thinking… more diary dates
🏇🏼🍕 Willans LLP solicitors and Cheltenham Open Door, the Cheltenham-headquartered law firm’s nominated charity for the year, invite you to join them for an evening of fun, fundraising and friendly competition. The entry fee, which all goes to the charity, puts you and a team in with a chance of winning one or more of six recorded races. Price includes two drinks and pizza. The date has been moved from the end of February to 23 April. At The Bottle of Sauce, Cheltenham, from 6pm. More here.
💡 Willans LLP solicitors’ experienced property dispute lawyers are hosting a free, in-person seminar to provide an update on the Renters’ Rights Act on 18 March at 4pm. The Bill is described as “representing the most significant reform to the private rental sector in decades”. Significant changes include the abolition of “no-fault” evictions, the introduction of rolling tenancies, limits on rent increases, and the new Decent Homes Standard. Aimed at landlords and their agents. More here.
The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read by us is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne, our sponsors, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
If you upgrade to become a paid subscriber you’ll be part of this CIC too. You’ll help make us sustainable, be able to see past the paywalls, comment on our stories, and know you’re making possible the county’s only editorially-led platform dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire about its businesses, charities, education and training sectors.
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A nervous time for the Golden Valley Development
Those involved with the Golden Valley Development predict spades will be in the ground this summer on the first phase, but a closer look reveals the detail threatening to stand in its way.
By Andrew Merrell.
This month publicity for the Golden Valley Development heralded it as ‘an exemplar of a green project' done well’, continuing to predict work will begin this summer, but it didn’t include the full story.
Outline planning consent for that first phase was secured back in July 2025, and the final planning application needing approval before that phase can begin, the commercial and office space phase, is currently going through the planning process.
It’s a project we’re told will deliver a £1bn-plus economic boost, and it’s a project owned by Cheltenham Borough Council - the very council whose very planning committee is about to rule on those plans.
A thumbs-up from planning would begin a set of dominoes falling that will deliver 1.25 million square feet of commercial space with the National Cyber Innovation Centre at its heart, 2,500 new homes and more on a 200-hectare site to the west of GCHQ.
“In terms of start on site, construction on IDEA and ROUTER will begin Summer 2026,” the local authority confirmed to Raikes only last week.
IDEA being the innovation centre and ROUTER the site’s transport hub (see the images below).
But a closer look at the paperwork going through planning suggests progress for the ‘once in a lifetime project’ may not be the inevitability many may think.
