Quays in restaurant bid amid fears it could impact Gloucester Food Dock
A new restaurant could be opening in Gloucester Quays
Gloucester Quays could soon be opening one of the county’s biggest restaurants if plans to change the use of vacant retail units get the go-ahead amid questions it could be a McDonald’s.
The retail outlet owners want a planning condition clarified on the limit put on food and drink floorspace at the site.
They say in their latest plans they want Gloucester City Council to take account of a new restaurant tenant for units 73 to 76 which have been vacant since construction and were earmarked to be shops.
The floorspace of the new food and drink area would be around 691sqm which would be bigger than the vacant former TGI Friday’s unit which is around 480sqm and the nearby Wetherspoons is around 565 sqm.
“From time to time the tenants within the outlet change,” they said in the covering letter for the plans.
To reflect these changes they say there have been regular submissions to the council to confirm where units with leisure use are located at the Quays.
Another planning condition allows up to 3,590sqm of floorspace within the factory outlet shopping area which includes the main outlet and areas along Baker’s Quay, Merchants Road, High Orchard Street and Llanthony Road.
“We are therefore seeking to update the condition 30 plan to include this combined unit,” they said in the plans.
“This proposal also results in a reduction in the ‘allocation’ of leisure floorspace to the ‘Numold’ area of the site.
“After nearly 20 years since the granting of the outline planning permission for Gloucester Quays, the Numold element of the site has not come forward for development and reserved matters applications on this part of the site which could have potentially benefitted from the ‘allowance’ are not now possible.
“Given the ‘allowance’ was only an estimate not based on any detailed proposals, it is considered reasonable, especially taking account of the passing of time, that the residual ‘leisure’ floorspace ‘allocated’ to the Numold site be redistributed.
“This approach has previously been accepted by the City Council and will not undermine or prejudice the potential for ‘leisure’ uses coming forward on the site in the future.
“Albeit that would need to be through standalone planning applications rather than relying on the outline planning permission.”
Gloucester Quays LLP say the details of the nature, scale, type and distribution of ‘leisure’ uses proposed is in keeping with the original intent of the outline planning application as amended.
The proposal seeks to provide a balance of land uses to ensure the economic success of the development and ensure its ongoing contribution to the success of the wider city centre.
Councillor Rebecca Trimnell (LD, Wesgate), who represents the area at the City Council, said she generally doesn’t object to changes of use if it’s in keeping with the surrounding area.
But she says there is a risk there would be no control over what restaurant opens there if change of use is granted.
And she questions whether Gloucester would like to see another McDonald’s in that part of the city.
“Although eatery establishments are all well and good, I am very mindful about the change of use in terms of these units,” she said.
“We change the use and then there is no control on what eatery establishments would be set up in these units.
“For instance, do we want to see another McDonald’s at this end of the city?
“Moreover, I am concerned about the possible impact on the newly established Food Dock at the other end of the Docks too.
“There needs to be a balance.”
Fellow Westgate Councillor Pam Tracey (C) doesn’t think it would be a good location for a McDonald’s with Burger King at the Peel Centre.
But a restaurant there could “work as a bookend for the Quays”, she said.
“It’s a bit of a dead end down there,” she said. “Let’s hope it tidies that area up.
“You’ve got the one restaurant in the entrance of Severn Road and it could be a bookend for either side of the Quays.”
She also believes the city could do with a restaurant specialising in fish.
“We’ve got the docks and we haven’t got any fish restaurants,” she said.
“When we have the tall ships festival, it would be good to have a nice fish bar.
“When I go out, I usually have seabass but we haven’t got that and we’re right on the bloody river!”
City planners are expected to consider the plans by September 24, 2025.