Major decisions that could transform Gloucester Quays and Docks
A key warehouse complex at Gloucester Docks and the last remaining part of the city's historic Quays buildings could finally be opened up to redevelopment after a landmark meeting.
Dear reader,
An early ‘end of the week’ edition this week, and very Gloucester-centric at that.
Regulars will know we usually publish on Friday, but today we’ve moved it forward by a day after a number of decisions were made last night which would prove transformative for the city’s Docks and Quays.
Of course, we’ve heard it all before. And you’ll see from the tone of our articles that’s how we view it, but nevertheless, this does feel like a genuine tipping point we can’t ignore (let’s hope I’ve not jinxed it!).
For those who said it would never happen, we could be about to see the final pieces of the jigsaw begin to be fashioned and put into place at the waterside quarter of our county’s capital.
Worth celebrating? Perhaps not yet, but certainly worth marking the moment and hoping.
(We’re not sure yet on whether we’re publishing tomorrow. We do have two really good stories lined up, but we’ll let you know.)
Best regards,
Editor | 07956 926061 | LinkedIn: Andrew Merrell | andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk
Are the remaining derelict Quays buildings finally about to be redeveloped?
After years of waiting and multiple proposals by the developer, the city council last night approved a conversation that could see the remaining historic buildings at Gloucester Quays transformed.
By Andrew Merrell.
We go biggest on the decision below about the Kimberley Herbert, Kimberley and Phillpotts warehouse (see below), but another decision made last night could be even more transformative for the waterside quarter of Gloucester.
Arguably Gloucester’s current renaissance has been led by the investment from Peel Retail Parks in its Quays outlet centre, but it is also the redevelopment of the old buildings into flats that has been crucial.
The outstanding buildings in that portfolio yet to receive the magic touch of redevelopment have been sitting empty, with Rokeby Merchant Developments (Gloucester Ltd) bringing plans to the table a number of times over the years.
The last scheme, which includes a 10-storey tower block and would provide 117 flats, was given the go-ahead three years ago. Since then, nothing.
Economic fortunes, recessions, financial crisis and just about everything else has conspired to harpoon progress.
But last night the council agreed to enter into discussions with Homes England to secure an additional tranche of up to £1.5m to support delivery of the Bakers Quay scheme.
It’s a measure of how problematic the final piece of the jigsaw is to fit into the ambitious project, which many thought would never even be started, but it now looks like we could be on the final home straight.
Council leader Jeremy Hilton said the decision would allow the developers to begin construction at Baker’s Quay, protect the listed buildings and allow the remaining phases of the development.
“This is not Gloucester City Council’s money,” he said. “We will manage it through and make sure that the terms and conditions, the phasing of the drawdown and everything is done in the proper way so Rokeby Merchants can get on with the development at Baker’s Quay.”
Councillors voted that, “subject to due diligence, the council may receive and pass through this funding to the developer, on terms consistent with existing Homes England and GCC agreements”.
It also agreed that “authority is delegated to the director of place assets and regeneration, in consultation with the head of finance and cabinet leader and cabinet member for regeneration, to agree final terms and conditions.”
Watch this space.
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Seven years in and half of the £2m asking price spent on security, the ‘sale’ of a Gloucester Docks landmark is given the go ahead
Held up by red tape and sitting empty for seven years at a cost of £1m, despite a sale being agreed on an asking price of £2m, a key Gloucester Docks warehouse complex will soon have a new ‘owner’.
It’s been sitting empty for even years, with speculation over a potential buyer including the name of Julian Dunkerton, of Superdry fame, but it’s been a sale held up by legal red tape.
But city councillors have now given a go-ahead for the sale of one of the last empty landmark Gloucester Docks warehouse complexes and excitement is mounting over just what that will mean.
The city council has been in the process of selling the grade II-listed Herbert, Kimberley and Phillpotts warehouses (HKP) beside and above the Dr Fosters on the Docks bar and restaurant since 2023.
But despite buyers circling and a sale agreed, offloading the former 19th century former warehouses has proved to be tricky with the building closed since 2019.
Security has cost £132,000 a year, meaning the city council has paid almost £1m baby-sitting the building during that time.
But last night, at a meeting of the city council’s cabinet, a way was found to move forward with councillors agreeing to dispose of the site by way of an underlease.
It’s understood this allows the new owner to take control but leaves the existing leaseholders - the city council - liable for the lease. It means the new owner is the new landlord, but also the tenant to the former landlord.
The Canal and River Trust are the freeholders of the properties and have granted Gloucester City Council a long headlease of the Docks Estate in 2014.
“It makes it easier to sell it. The only difficulty is that if there were a collapse, the building would come back to the council,” said council leader Jeremy Hilton.
A council officer has now been delegated to agree the terms of the underlease and get approval from the Canal and River Trust for a licence to underlet the building.
“We would still hold the major lease and the underlease would go to the people purchasing,” he said.
“It’s cleaner and it’s something recommended by the new head of place as being a more suitable way forward.”
Cllr Hilton said the new plan “will unlock its sale. It makes the process much easier, it’s less complicated and it will allow the regeneration of the buildings”.
“It’s effectively going to the same purchaser at the agreed price.”