Development of 180 new homes near Gloucester city centre receives £2.2 million in funding

Plans to build 180 affordable homes near the centre of Gloucester have moved a ‘significant’ step closer, thanks to a £2.2 million windfall of government funds.

By Andrew Merrell | Published Friday 3 December 2021

Nine derelict acres of Gloucesters former cattle market look likely to become the site for at least 200 new homes after the city council secured central government funding. — Nine derelict acres of Gloucester’s former cattle market look likely to become the site for at least 200 new homes after the city council secured central government funding.

Gloucester City Council has welcomed ‘a significant £2.2 million win’ from the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund to develop a new urban village at St Oswalds, that would see 180 affordable homes being built.

Rooftop Housing Association is working with Gloucester City Council on the project which will redevelop nine acres of land adjacent to St Oswalds Retail Park at the site of a former cattle market.

An initial proposal for the site back in March 2021 included a further six acres of the site, behind the Tesco supermarket – and a further 100 homes.

Councillor Andrew Gravells, cabinet member for planning and housing strategy at Gloucester City Council, said: ‘The award of £2.2m of Brownfield Land Release Fund is a huge piece in the jigsaw here and will hopefully allow the delivery of 180 new affordable homes.’

Boris Worrall, chief executive of Evesham-headquartered Rooftop Group, called the site ‘challenging’, but said he was confident Gloucester would get ‘high-quality homes for local people to rent and buy’ if the scheme was given the go-ahead.

The £2.2 million of central government funds comes hot on the heels of £20 million from the Levelling Up Fund for the city centre and a further £12.8m for the Gloucester to Cheltenham cycleway and for widening the A38 at Llanthony Priory.

By Andrew Merrell

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