Government minister pleased with Gloucester

​A Government minister responsible for Gloucester’s £7m regeneration yesterday said she was impressed with how far the city had come.

Rosie Winterton, Minister of State for Regional Economic Development, met fellow politicians and business leaders in Gloucester yesterday (fri) to see first-hand the plans for a linkages scheme between the Quays and the city centre.

Mrs Winterton, who is the MP For Doncaster North, said tales of Gloucester’s regeneration from MP Parmjit Dhanda had prompted her to pop in for a visit on her way to a meeting in Exeter.

She said: “Parmjit had a number of debates about this in the House of Commons, and I responded.

“He painted a very good picture of why the investment was needed. I’m so pleased that this money has been able to be used to invest in this area.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed.”

The minister was shown around the Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet Centre by Mr Dhanda, along with Gloucestershire Heritage Urban Regeneration Company chairman Chris Oldershaw.

Gloucestershire County councillor Mark Hawthorne, Ian Knight from the South West Regional Development Agency and Greg Smith, principal of Gloucestershire College, also joined the tour.

Mrs Winterton rejected the Conservative’s view that the South West Regional Development Agency should be scrapped.

 She said: “Sometimes when you’re having to make decisions in Parliament it’s all quite technical, so seeing it for yourself is fantastic.

“Instead of it being a derelict and gloomy area, it’s a beautiful place to walk around and a great shopping centre. You can see how it has regenerated the whole area.”

Mr Dhanda said: “I’m always delighted to bring high-profile ministers to Gloucester to show them the value of the Government’s investment.”