Draft Gloucester City Plan

Podsmead Ward

4.31     In terms of land area, Podsmead is one of the smallest wards in Gloucester. It has a strong sense of local identity and community as well as good levels of open space, and community facilities and is home to the city’s only running track. It also has good public transport links, access to the canal and pleasant views to Robinswood Hill. However the ward also has some of the highest levels of deprivation in Gloucester and the highest proportion of people living in social rented housing in the City.

SA12: Blackbridge Sports Hub

Site description and overview:

Playing field site with an actively used running track.   Other than this the site is underused and has been identified in the adopted Gloucester Playing Pitch Strategy and Artificial Grass Pitch Strategy as a significant opportunity for the creation of a sports hub to the southern part the City, to complement that being taken forward at the University of Gloucestershire and Oxstalls Sports Park. This could be in combination with adjacent playing pitches. The City Council, along with Active Gloucestershire, has recently commissioned external support in preparing a feasibility study looking at potential improvements to existing pitches and the provision of new sports facilities. The site could be delivered in part through S106 and/or CIL contributions (once adopted).

Gross site area: 10.47 ha.

Summary of responses to previous consultation:

  • None – not included in the consultation.

Proposed allocation:

  • Multi-sports hub, potentially in combination with adjacent playing pitches / sites.

Constraints:

  • No major land-use constraints, although it is understood that parking and access arrangements are currently difficult.
  • The site has unknown archaeological potential. Further archaeological assessment and mitigation may be required.

Sustainability Appraisal results:

  • Yet to be assessed.

Site specific requirements:

  • To act as a sports hub for Gloucester. The exactly nature of this is yet to be determined but feasibility work is currently on-going. The site could be delivered in part through S106 and or CIL contributions (once adopted).