Waterside development but no canal

Published: Wednesday, 10 June 2009

THE developers are quick of the mark in Stroud, with a waterside £20 millions tower block planned, even though the canal has not been restored.

Work is expected to start on the land-mark tower in the town later this year, though there is still doubt about the restoration of the Stroudwater by the side of which the development will be built, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Named Wallbridge Wharf, landowner Chelbury Homes, which is in the final stages of signing up various businesses to occupy the floors, hopes the development will help further the canal restoration.

Though the lower floors of the tower block will be for business use it is expected that the top five floors will be flats of varying sizes and layouts. There are plans to include retail outlets on the ground floor.

The site has been empty for about 20 years, and though various ideas have been put forward for development, none came to fruition, with the last proposed developer being hit by the recession.

However, it all seems to depend if the floors can be let, and if so, a planning application will be made within the next few weeks.