Plans to spend millions regenerating Podsmead estate are finally moving forward.

It has been a year since Gloucester City Council approved the start of negotiations over the sale of land needed for the project.

Discussions are still ongoing but Gloucester City Homes (GCH) has revealed it hopes to start work on the huge development in earnest in March.

The project to overhaul one of England's most deprived estates had appeared to be floundering amidst the post-Covid economic crisis.

A planning application was expected to be submitted in 2022 but never materialised.

However, GCH has now told Punchline the project is back on track after the Government announced a "turbo-boost" for regeneration projects.

Michael Hill, executive director of customer experience for Gloucester City Homes, said: "The announcement from Homes England in the summer regarding grants for regeneration projects was a game changer for the scheme at Podsmead, the community, GCH and the city.

"It has allowed us to bring forward plans that will involve delivering regeneration over a shorter time frame, hopefully starting in March 2025."

Homes England announced in August that grant funding provided through the Government's Affordable Homes Programme 2021-26 could be used to replace outdated housing.

City Council documents also show it is getting ready to approve heads of terms over the sale of three areas of land in Podsmead to GCH, to enable the redevelopment of those sites.

Mr Hill added: "Negotiations with the Council over the land are positive and we hope to make another announcement in Spring 2024 with a planning application shortly afterwards."

The plans cover 12 sites within the estate and are expected to include demolition of 201 of GCH's existing homes. It will build 337 new homes, with 25% for affordable rent or shared ownership and the remaining for sale.

Phase 1, proposed for years 1-5 of the project, would also include new shops, a community hub and two new parks with a range of recreational activities on the remainder of Scott Avenue and Byron Avenue open spaces.

Phase 2, proposed for years 6-20, would also include the demolition of the current Podsmead Big Local Hub and private shops with flats above on Scott Avenue

.

GCH said: "It should benefit everyone in some measure, through having new or improved homes, shops, community facilities, transport links and green spaces. It should also provide a range of new employment opportunities. The regeneration is for current and future residents, businesses and organisations."

Plans to invest £90million in the massive regeneration of Podsmead and Matson were first announced in 2017.

Both estates fall into the 10% 'most deprived' in England according to the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD, 2019).

GCH said the regeneration was needed to update homes but also modernise community facilities which it hopes will prompt wider benefits, such as improvements to health and reductions in crime levels.

The masterplans were completed in 2018 and adopted by the council as Supplementary Planning Guidance.

However, by November 2022 GCH revealed it had been forced to bench the wider overhaul of the Matson estate due to "limited access to suitable land and increased costs for development and finance".

A spokesperson for Gloucester City Council said "In December 2022, cabinet asked officers to negotiate an agreement with Gloucester City Homes to dispose of council land to Gloucester City Homes to enable Podsmead estate regeneration.

"This regeneration will include the provision of new homes, and commercial and community facilities. 

"Those negotiations continue, and as such further details cannot be provided at this time."