Cheltenham council flushed as it puts up town loos for redevelopment

By Nicky Godding

22 November 2021

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A building in a prominent town centre location has been put up for sale by Cheltenham council, which it says will offer "an exciting and unique opportunity for developers to create something new and different in the area".

Cheltenham Borough Council is inviting potential developers to come forward with proposals to redevelop the former public toilets on the corner of High Street and Ambrose Street.

The building, which was closed several years ago when it became unfit for use, has continued to become an eyesore, with graffiti (not of the Banksy-kind unfortunately), becoming more prevalent.

Now, the council thinks that due to its prominent location, the site has the potential to create an innovative landmark building that will help improve the local townscape.

Itis hoping to find someone who will bring some design flair to the building, either as part of a refurbishment programme or as a full redevelopment of the site.

Cllr Peter Jeffries, cabinet member for finance and assets said “This is unique opportunity to take a disused, unattractive building that is no longer fit for purpose and create something niche that will really add something positive to this part of the High Street. I am really excited to see what people come forward with.’’

So that the new building complements the location and adds to the local offer, the council is restricting certain uses, such as a hot food takeaways, of which there are many existing ones within this part of the town.

Cllr Jeffries added: “With the large number of takeaways already trading within the area, we do not feel that another one would help. We want to increase the variety of what’s on offer in this area for local residents and visitors.’’

Whilst the council will want to maximise the return for the benefit of local taxpayers, it will also judge proposals based on design, use and overall sustainability, especially as the council’s climate emergency declaration includes a commitment to become a carbon neutral borough by 2030.

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.