Door to enormous investment in Gloucestershire unlocked

A Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project has been approved for Gloucesteshire worth £100s millions. which is expected to unlock ‘billions’ more into the region and ‘transform’ the county.

Dear readers,

Raikes broke the news in our Tuesday edition (more here) that the major announcement we cover in today’s lead story below would arrive this week, and we only had to wait a day.

We take a look at what the Government itself has classed as a “Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project”, and how it could make Gloucestershire a key economic catalyst for the region.

According to those putting out the publicity we are talking billions of pounds extra into the ‘sub-regional economy’ as a result of everything this decision unlocks.

But it has not been without its controversy to get to this point, not least because it will also involve the building of thousands of homes - many already approved - and everything that will mean in terms of extra traffic, strain on local infrastructure, schools, doctors surgeries, the NHS, and more.

Regular readers will know our first full editions of the week are always published without a paywall, but our Thursday stories often carry them and our Friday editions almost always. A paywall then falls over almost all our archive after two weeks too (that’s how we pay for what we do).

Although we’ve been keeping the paywalls off our Thursday stories and Friday editions of late after a flurry of new subscribers.

It’s a continual dilemma; I want as many people as possible to see how we do things differently, but we also need to cover our costs. If your ‘news’ is free, it’s either the BBC (which has approved what I do and we have access to its copy) or there’s probably not a lot of journalism gone into it (if any).

Doing things differently means I don’t just publish press releases as exclusives, or lists of stuff, or Q&A interviews with people we never meet or speak to.

We actually talk to those involved in the stories, do some research, check the angles out and give you some context and some quality. It’s about giving Gloucestershire something better.

That’s the journalism bit that sets us apart.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoy writing it.

Best regards,

Andrew Merrell (editor).

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* The Raikes Journal is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read here - original stories about our county - is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne; our sponsors, Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.

If you upgrade to paid you’ll be part of this CIC too. We’re dedicated to championing the county, its businesses, charities, education and training providers, and to creating an even stronger community. If you upgrade to paid you’ll be able to see past the paywalls often put on our 2cnd and 3rd email editions of the week, that lock our archive after two weeks and our Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire series. You’ll be able to comment on our stories too.

You can sign up for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once. Or go all in and become one of our Founding Partners or Founding Members!

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Door to enormous investment in Gloucestershire unlocked

A Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project has been approved for Gloucesteshire worth £100s millions. which is expected to unlock ‘billions’ more into the region and ‘transform’ the county.

By Andrew Merrell.