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Gloucestershire Business News

County’s smallest development will keep city’s history safe

A construction team is flush with activity at what must surely be Gloucestershire's smallest current conversion - sealing potential Roman and Medieval secrets beneath.

The six-metre by four-metre single-storey building in Berkeley Street is in the shadow of the great Bearland House, metres from the walls of the Crown Court and is dwarfed by nearby Gloucestershire County Council offices.

Just what it will become has remained a mystery to passers by, until now.

According to the archaeological department at the council the building is "in a locality where Roman and medieval activity and settlement are known to be present".

A senior architectural technologist at RES Architecture Ltd describe the structure to planners as "sui generis", no less - a Latin phrase meaning "of its own kind; in a class by itself; unique".

And to top it off it is attached to 20 Berkeley Street, an 18th century town house constructed circa 1770 which carries a grade II listing.

But rest assured, because the new development will not be disturbing the ground the planning department was advised "no archaeological investigation or recording should be required in connection with this planning application".

Which gave the development a smooth journey through the planning process.

All of which means that in a few weeks' time anyone visiting the former public convenience to, in old parlance, 'spend a penny' could be in for a serious shock - literally.

The building is being converted into an electrical sub-station to provide upgraded supply to Shire Hall complex.

Energy firm Western Power Distribution advised that Shire Hall's 1960s power supply infrastructure was inadequate for modern times.

For those concerned another 'unique' building will be lost to Gloucester, fear not. Planning document assure that "unique detailing to this building will be left insitu ensuring consistent visual appearance".

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