Latest news with #Podsmead
BBC News
02-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Podsmead regeneration rejected by council over green concerns
Plans for the £45m regeneration of a deprived area, including 172 new social homes, have been rejected by a city council over concerns of a loss of green plans for the Podsmead area of the Gloucester were rejected by the council's planning committee at a meeting on Tuesday with more social housing, the Gloucester City Homes' plans included a children's play park, Podsmead's first pharmacy, commercial buildings, and a multi-use sports Stenson, Gloucester City Homes, said the housing association was "massively disappointed" by the outcome of the meeting. The development report noted 1.91 hectares (225 acres) of open space would be lost if the plans were Field, city councillor for Podsmead, said he could see the benefits of the scheme - noted in the report as retail and economic opportunities, among others - but kept "coming back to the loss of green space over the whole site"."As the report mentions, the proposed development would result in the loss of approximately 60% of the existing informal amenity green space," he said."That is quite a lot, 34 trees are going to be lost and yes, they are to be replaced and added to, but we all know that young trees do not capture carbon nearly as well as mature trees."Other disadvantages listed included a lack of education and library spaces and limited benefits to the wider estate. At the meeting on Tuesday, six voted against the plans, two voted for, and there was one Stenson said the Podsmead scheme had been "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity"."We had an opportunity to access the Homes England Funding, and that went away last night," he added he believed the proposals "truly responded" to Podsmead residents' wants and needs."Personally, I can't understand why a £45m investment in one of the communities of Gloucestershire that really, really does need it was turned down."
BBC News
28-06-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Sports hub has 'dramatic effect' on young people in Gloucester
A new community and sports hub in one of England's most health-deprived areas is having a "dramatic effect" on the lives of young people, according to youth Community and Sports Hub in Podsmead, Gloucester, includes a fitness gym, studio spaces for dance, yoga and Pilates classes, a sports pitch, and a social space for community activities.A youth team offering support has also moved in and will host an open day and celebration later."We wouldn't have been able to do any of this in the previous locations where we were, it just wasn't feasible in the hall we hired," said head of youth provision Debbie Etheridge. Podsmead is within one of the most health-deprived areas nationally for people aged 16 to 64, according to the latest government data, which is from Blackbridge Youth Work Team is offering regular youth activities and has a packed programme of summer holiday events. "We're going to have a new session called Fit Fridays, so they'll be learning about healthy options, healthy foods, healthy lifestyles, which we do anyway for the over-14s," Ms Etheridge 16, is one of the teenagers enjoying the larger premises."When we were back in the old youth club, we weren't able to do things like cooking," she explained. "We just had a TV, but this is a massive place." Bentley, 14, enjoys meeting friends at the hub."There are quite a few more things to do now we've got a bigger space," he said. "We've got a pool table now, table tennis, and I enjoy the baking." Ms Etheridge said the centre has had a "dramatic effect" on young people, but was also a great resource for all said: "We're offering employment skills and training, and creating resident-led opportunities that empower people to shape what happens here."
