The outstanding shopping and leisure amenities planned for the ever-growing Kingsway destination, which is located off the A38 just south of Gloucester are progressing.
It has been announced by Kingsway’s commercial developers, the Cheltenham-based Robert Hitchins Group, that supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is to take over the 8,000 square feet main food store within the Local Centre of the development and that Marston’s is to build a pub/restaurant in the stables and barn buildings around the old Manor Farm that is at the heart of the development.
It is estimated both could open by early 2009.
The old Manor Farm House building at the heart of the development is to be refurbished for stylish residential use. Its historic moat is being restored by landscape experts and will form a superb open parklands feature.
In addition to the major food store within the Local Centre, there will also be a range of small shops and a Residential Care Home.
Robert Hitchins Group indicates that there is high interest in the shop units within the Local Centre and they will be marketed in the autumn.
There is also to be a new Community Centre - a temporary centre is being made available this autumn in a refurbished building within the current Quedgeley Enterprise Centre. It will have a room for the Police, the ABC Pharmacy that will eventually operate from one of the Local Centre shops and feature a room for hire.
Negotiations are continuing with regard to the Health Centre also planned on Kingsway.
Says Nicki Reed, Chairman of the Kingsway Marketing Committee, “It’s great news the Local Centre is on its way. Some 600 homes on Neighbourhood 1 of Kingsway are now occupied and homes are already being sold on Neighbourhoods 2 and 3.
With the planners also giving the go ahead for an extra 650 homes here at a later stage of the development, the leisure and shopping amenities are so very important. We are creating a new community, which will become a vibrant village for both work and play. Kingsway itself is a very unique place and will play a major part in the overall urban regeneration of the neighbouring Gloucester area.
The lucky people who manage to secure a property at Kingsway will experience a truly special environment difficult to match elsewhere.”
Kingsway is Gloucestershire’s fastest growing new community with over 3,300 homes planned by 2012. The development is being operated by QUVL, which consists of leading house builders Persimmon, and Taylor Wimpey – the new joint company formed by the coming together of leading developers George Wimpey and Taylor Woodrow – and commercial developer, the Cheltenham based Robert Hitchins Group.