Developer Robert Hitchins is forging ahead with a major mixed-use development, which will bring 1,300 homes and hundreds of job opportunities to Innsworth near Gloucester.
The residential part of the scheme will be led by national housebuilder Taylor Wimpey which has acquired the land from Robert Hitchins and has commenced construction.
Work on a major roundabout on the A40 Gloucester bypass is due to start in the coming months, providing the main access point into Innsworth Park and eventually linking back to Innsworth Lane.
When complete, the scheme will include retail and leisure facilities at a 10-acre district centre, as well as commercial opportunities at a 4-acre office park and a 6.7 acre business park.
There will also be a new primary school, sport and leisure facilities and extensive landscaping.
As well as the new roundabout between the Longford and Elmbridge Court roundabouts, a spine road will be built leading from the A40 to Innsworth Lane providing greater connectivity to the north east, Churchdown, Staverton and Cheltenham.
Senior Development Manager for Robert Hitchins Ltd, Michael Plimmer, said: “We’re delighted to see the masterplan for the Innsworth Park development taking shape and we have already commenced detailed discussions with a number of interested parties who would like to take space in the new scheme.
“Since planning permission was granted in 2017, a huge amount of preparation work has taken place and we are now pleased to be in a position to get started in earnest.
“It’s an exciting scheme which will give a massive boost to the local economy. It will not only deliver 1,300 much-needed homes to the edge of Gloucester, but will also bring important new local facilities to the growing population on the north side of Gloucester with an estimated 700 job opportunities in the district centre, office park and business park.
“The whole development is perfectly placed, just three miles from Gloucester and with direct access to the A40 and the M5. It is also close to Imjin Barracks and to the Innsworth Technology Park, so helping to create a vibrant mix of residential and employment uses.”
The Innsworth Park District Centre will be the largest single provision of local shopping and leisure facilities on the northern side of Gloucester. It benefits from outline planning consent for a supermarket, retail units, pub/restaurant, leisure facilities, health centre, nursery, offices and community uses.
The Innsworth Business Park, placed strategically close to the entrance of the new development on the A40, has planning permission for B1 and B8 use and can accommodate several commercial buildings or one single building of up to 118,403 sq ft.
The Innsworth Office Park has consent for B1 office use up to a gross internal area of 5,946 sq m. Office buildings can be delivered to suit individual business requirements.
The whole Innsworth Park development will take place in phases: the road infrastructure and primary school should be complete by 2021.
The residential area of two, three and four-bedroom homes has been named Whittle Park in honour of local hero Sir Frank Whittle, creator of the jet engine.
The developers have contributed £10.8 million as part of a Section 106 agreement towards education, sports and community facilities, public open spaces and transport.
Robert Hitchins Ltd, based at Boddington, Gloucestershire, is one of the leading property developers and investors in the South West and South Wales. It deals with the full process from site acquisition and planning through to development and investment.
Agents for the District Centre are ARC Retail Property Consultants and Alder King. Agents for the Office Park and Business Park are Alder King and Cushman & Wakefield.
