4.26     Barnwood is a large and varied ward.  It includes popular residential areas with good schools and facilities. The northern part of the ward hosts some of Gloucester’s significant employers namely: Unilever’s Walls factory and the EDF Energy offices.  In recent boundary changes Coney Hill Ward has been absorbed some of the south west part of Barnwood.

SA03: Gloucester Mail Centre, Eastern Avenue

Site description and overview:

Site of former Royal Mail sorting office and distribution centre.   When operating fully the site had various different employment types including office and storage and distribution.  Part of the site is currently still occupied and use for storage and distribution.  The site is surrounded by employment uses and the line railway line to the west with no connectivity to surrounding residential uses.  Given its location and surrounding uses it is not considered suitable for residential development but offers the opportunity for redevelopment in whole or in part to provide for a different form of B Use Class employment.

Gross site area: 2.25 ha.

Summary of responses to previous consultation:

• Site is known as Gloucester Mail Centre.
• At present nearby uses include retail, residential, a drive through restaurant as well as warehousing and offices. So, Royal Mail considers that the area should be characterised as mixed use.
• No evidence of ‘possible contamination’ on site.
• The references to the traffic capacity of the Walls and C&G roundabouts is not a site specific issue and should also be deleted. It is noted that this issue is not noted in the schedule entries for sites B1 and B2, which is inconsistent. The Mail centre site’s existing single vehicular access to the north bound carriageway of the A38 Eastern Avenue is a constraint and should be added.
• There is an extensive planning history for this site going back to 1955. The site is ‘Sui generis’ use but effectively a B class use.
• The Proposed uses section should be amended to read as follows: ‘Existing employment land to be retained for employment purposes. Uses that make an exceptional contribution to the image and regeneration of Gloucester will also be considered.

Proposed allocation:

• Employment use.

Constraints:

• Western boundary of the site is mainline railway, so potential noise and vibration issues.
• Local heritage value of buildings on site. Also the site has the potential to contain significant archaeological remains. Further archaeological assessment and mitigation may be required. (See Site Historic Environment Assessments for the SALA).

Sustainability Appraisal findings:

• Yet to be assessed.

Site specific requirements:

• Build heritage and archaeological assessment.