Applications have been submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council to develop around 350,000 sq ft of new industrial/ warehouse space on the remaining vacant plots of land at Gloucester Business Park.

ARA Europe submitted the application on behalf of owner Straits Real Estate Pte Ltd (SRE), a subsidiary of The Straits Trading Company Limited, following public consultation.

ARA Europe has applied for detailed consent for Plots 1-5 on the 276-acre site, located at Junction 11A of the M5 motorway. Plot 6 is being targeted for a cafe via a separate full planning application, to be submitted in due course.

The business park, acquired by ARA Europe, on behalf of SRE, in December 2022 already includes 522,000 sq ft of fully let office and industrial space. It is home to businesses in sectors including energy, cybertechnology, financial services and healthcare, with the tenant line-up including EDF Energy, Ecclesiastical Insurance, GE Aviation and the NHS.

The proposed development land already has existing outline consent for employment use.

Edward Amery, asset management director at ARA Europe, said: "We have been working closely with our project team and stakeholders to propose the right development plans to continue Gloucester Business Park's legacy as a thriving employment area in the region, and we look forward to taking our vision forward, building on the strength of the park."

Alder King and CBRE are retained as letting agents for Gloucester Business Park. CBRE is advising as planning consultant.

Gloucester Business Park was developed on the site of the factory and test airfield for the Gloster Aircraft Company, famous for building the Hawker Hurricane during the 1940s and the Gloster Javelin during the 1950s. The airfield was closed down in 1962.

Work on developing Gloucester Business Park began in the early 1990s. To date, over 2.75 million sq ft has been developed, ranging from small industrial units to large distribution facilities, together with a range of Grade A office buildings.