Enabling Infrastructure
Cinderford Northern Quarter
Gloucestershire County Council
Growth Deal
£3,800,000
Summary
The Cinderford Northern Quarter Project, also called the Cinderford Spine Road, was a transport infrastructure project to build the first part of the Northern Quarter Spine Road road that would also provide access to the site of the new Gloucestershire College Campus. The new section of road would also enable early phases of the Northern Quarter to be developed in line with the masterplan for the area.
What is the Cinderford Northern Quarter Spine Road project?
The project involved the construction of approximately 500m of new access road linking with Newton Rd/Broadmoor Road and crucially a new bridge and new wildlife corridors over the Old Engine Brook.
Eventually it is planned the Spine Road will extend all the way to the A4136 Monmouth Road to the north of the site which will open the full Northern Quarter up for mixed use development.
The project included significant remediation work on site to improve the ground conditions as much of the soil consisted of spoil from the previous mine workings.
This project provided the enabling infrastructure to allow the new Gloucestershire College Campus to be built on site, to ensure on-going FE provision within the Forest.
Who benefits from this project?
Initially the project facilitated the building of the new college campus on site which benefits hundreds of post 16 learners each year. More broadly the project will attract investment into the town, both for commercial premises and for new housing and so will create jobs and local skills that can benefit the wider area.
What stage is the project currently at?
The project was completed in early 2018 and the college campus subsequently opened in September of that year.
Why is the project important to Gloucestershire and the local community?
This project supported the construction of the new Cinderford Campus of Gloucestershire College, securing FE provision in the Forest for the long term and giving local 16+ students the opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge and help to tackle some of the long-standing socio-economic challenges of the Forest.
It will also help to bring investment into Cinderford having removed a significant barrier to investment and will eventually lead to the completion of the Northern Quarter development which will have positive benefits both for the town and the wider Forest.
What are the final results of the project?
The Cinderford Northern Quarter project delivered:
- Construction of a new bridge over the Engine Brook
- Construction of the Northern Quarter Spine Road
- A new Gloucestershire College FE campus
- Unlocking of a potential £100m of private investment into the area
Where can I find out more?
Project page
Gloucestershire College Cinderford Campus