Gloucester city centre 'bombsite' could become car park
A CITY centre "bombsite" could be transformed into a car park with 139 spaces.
A planning application has been made by Gloucester City Council to build a temporary car park on the Barbican site, off Ladybellegate Street.
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proposal: The derelict site.
The site was last in use when the city council and county court staff used it, up until May 2008.
Brad Faulks, surveyor and valuer for the council, said: "The proposed interim use for parking would achieve a number of key objectives.
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"It would bring the site into active use, it would lead to the significant enhancement of the appearance of what is currently a rather depressing 'bombsite'.
"It would provide valuable parking facilities to serve the needs of businesses, shoppers, tourists and visitors."
The nearby Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum has supported the proposal, feeling it will provide much needed additional parking in the city centre.
A spokesman said: "This is particularly welcome given Ecclesiastical Group's recently confirmed plans to redevelop the main Docks car park site at Southgate Moorings."
Around 200 parking spaces will be lost when Southgate Moorings is developed for new headquarters for the Ecclesiastical Insurance Group. This could be as early as next year.
Gloucester Civic Trust has had its say too. While it admits to wanting to see a complete overhaul of the site, it is happy to see it brought back into some kind of use.
A spokesman said: "The panel regrets that Gloucester's greatest eyesore remains but reluctantly accepts its temporary use as a car park."
Vehicle access will be from Ladybellegate Street.
Comments
by xlitho
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 9:41PM
“Why not put Ecclesiastical Insurance there and save what's left of 'GLOUCESTER' Docks for 'GLOUCESTER' and what's left of the 'tourist trade' in The Docks?”
by gomums
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 7:26PM
“Just do it!!! It will look better if nothing else!!!”
by SandraPee
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 3:13PM
“spindles12 .. I thought it was the one opposite the multi-story too at first ! But, as you rightly say , it's the one where the old car boot sales used to be held ........ the area which gets waterlogged , and borders onto the lane at the rear of the prison . It's a nightmare getting in and out of it in icy weather , but it would be handy parking for those wanting to park near the Docks .”
by spindles12
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 3:13PM
“NibNobs, spot on! Now why didn't the Council just SAY that and not use words like "soft market testing" and "difficult to take forward in a comprehensive manner" when your description sums it up nicely!”
by NibNobs
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 3:00PM
“spindles12, oh you mean developers & retailers took a look at the deserted car-park then at an equally deserted 'Gloucester Quays' on a wet week day like today and ran away rather quickly taking their cheque books with them to Cribbs Causeway. Ah, I understand.”
by spindles12
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 2:47PM
“NibNobs, according to a letter with the Planning Application there's a reason why it's going to be used as a car park rather than any of your suggestions. To quote from the letter :With regard to the longer term development options a "soft market testing" was undertaken in January 2012. Market reaction was limited and there was a clear message that in the current economic conditions the site would be difficult to take forward in a comprehensive manner".”
by NibNobs
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 2:39PM
“Wouldn't be a better idea for the council to ask John Lewis if they would like a lovely big blank canvas in the heart of the city centre to build a department store on, with underground car-parking like they have at Waitrose in Cheltenham? Or for Debenhams so they can move out of their outdated, cramped store, or for Marks & Spencers to do it properly this time....Just a thought!”
by spindles12
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 1:51PM
“Considering they are talking about a temporary car park,from what I have seen of the Planning 'Application it looks like they will be spending a bit of money, what with flower borders, grass, raised beds etc. Very nice to look at but a bit of a waste it it's only for a couple of years. It will be a pay and display car park and apparently the Council is obliged to allocate any money generated from the site to regeneration projects within the City so I suppose that's better than the money being swallowed up in the Council's pot without any definite plans for it. Considering the application went in towards the end of June and is still pending consideration, they don't seem to be in much of a rush to get it done when they could get a move on and have it ready for the Christmas shoppers.
By the way, I thought it was the car park opposite the multi-storey but it seems to be the one on the other side of Ladybellgate Street affording lovely open views of the prison!”
by gloslad
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 11:24AM
“derlict yes, but a bombsite!? talk about sensationalising a story!! Also it isn't the city centres greatest eyesore!! I can name many other greater eyesores!!
Good to see it getting used though.”
by geraint2010
Tuesday, October 23 2012, 10:45AM
“Who in their right mind would object to this? It was a perfectly serviceable temporary car park (albeit for the privileged few) up to May 2008 so why was it allowed to dilapidate rather than being opened up for use by the general public then and there? Shame on you Glos City Council - no further delays please - just get on with it!”