Proposals for Gloucester’s £85m digital quarter reach important planning milestones

Plans to create The Forum, an £85m digital quarter in the Kings Quarter area of Gloucester city centre, have reached two important planning milestones.

Phase one of The Forum, the new mixed-use urban environment being developed by Gloucester City Council in partnership with Reef Group, has now been granted planning consent.

It will see the creation of 43 apartments with views to the cathedral, along with retail space, set to be occupied by Tesco. Work on the first phase is expected to start in the spring.

In a further important step forward for the development, detailed planning for the second phase of the development has been submitted to the council. This includes more than 125,000 sq ft of new versatile office space, with a shared workspace club and an innovation hub designed for emerging cyber businesses and incubator businesses. The office space will sit alongside a 131-bedroom four-star hotel, a 9,000 sq ft gym, restaurants and bars.

In addition, several new images of the proposed development have now been released including an aerial view of the The Forum showing how it will enhance the city’s skyline.  

Councillor Richard Cook, Leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “This is a very important milestone for this ambitious scheme, which will revitalise a key, but formerly tired, area of the city centre. Together with the rejuvenated Kings Square, and its attractive places to eat, drink and shop for residents and visitors, The Forum will bring in major occupiers and significant investors to the city and cement Gloucester’s reputation as a thriving and vibrant destination to work, live and visit.”

Esther Croft, Development Director at Reef Group, said: “Submitting Phase Two of The Forum for detailed planning is a hugely important step towards making our vision of a thriving new digital campus for Gloucester a reality. It is set to be one of the UK’s first truly integrated digital communities, with the space and infrastructure to create a seamless link between city centre living and working. Gaining planning consent for Phase One is also a significant milestone to reach, and we look forward to selecting a contractor with an aim to starting work on site in 2021.”

Phases One and Two are part of the 600,000 sq ft masterplan for The Forum, which aims to build on Gloucester’s history of innovation. The Forum will see the regeneration of the area previously called Kings Quarter, providing a future-ready, digital campus within the heart of Gloucester City Centre. For more information, please visit: www.forumdigital.co.uk.

As part of the revitalisation of the city centre, work has already begun on transformation of Kings Square, which will ultimately create a new destination for cultural activities including live performances and entertainment. Work also continues apace to enhance the Kings Walk shopping area. While major improvements including the new transport hub, improvements to Kings Walk car park and the demolition of Bruton Way Car Park have already been completed.

The Forum is Gloucester’s ambitious project to regenerate part of the city centre. At its heart is a commitment to transforming a tired area into a destination that attracts businesses and visitors to the city.

A new transport hub has already been provided and will act as a catalyst to further regeneration which brings life to Kings Square and improves the retail profile of the King’s Walk area.

For further information please visit website: www.forumdigital.co.uk