eye-catchingly modern.Watch this space. ‘Affordable luxury’, obviously being a relative term, but with prices of the one and two-bedroom flats being significantly below sought-after near-neighbour Cheltenham, and with promise of support from the ‘help to buy’ scheme for first timers, the term seems apt. Downsizers and families are also expected, if the eclectic mix that took up the opportunity in phase one is anything to go by. No identikit flats here – fixtures and fittings will be high-end, perhaps marble worktops, quality taps, a mixture of styles incorporated from a ‘mood board’ sparkling with inspiration. “We have had a successful phase one. The biggest challenges are still to come.The biggest is Downings. If you wanted an easy ride you would demolish the lot, on the basis it will probably fall down, and put a new block there,” said Mr Goodall, using the ‘challenging’ word again, in that way which gives you confidence he has it all in hand and the rest of us can relax. “First, that means making the building safe. Work actually started last October. The scaffolding is now near completion.We then need to take off the roof. “You can see some of the challenges if you look outside and look up.You would be concerned about a heavy snow fall on the roof, but we aim to dismantle it before it collapses.” But turning to the positive. “We feel the whole ethos of Rokeby Merchants is the heritage. By going the extra mile to keep the structure, a new building inside will be worth doing. “We will try to salvage the cast iron columns to incorporate back into the structure, so from the layman’s point of view, the building's challenges will
have been tamed.” Mr Goodall worked on the centre of Newcastle Quayside’s rebirth, after delivering major Docklands projects in London - projects mind-boggling in their ambition and scale. By way of explanation, and assurance, and to just how far Merchant Rokeby will go to retain the valuable heritage, deliver buildings fit for purpose and every possibility of a vibrant community thriving as a result, is in the firm’s recent past. “We saw different challenges at Swadlincote. People were not spending there.We had to think around the project and bring in anchor food stores, a five-screen cinema, and that meant widening the centre,” said Mr Goodall. Which meant removing 50,000 square metres of hillside. When they found uncharted mines during excavation that all needed to be dealt with as well, using “a significant amount of their contingency fund to put it right”. Dealt with it was. Rokeby worked in conjunction with Peveril Securities on the £17 million mixed-use town centre development which included 80,000 sq ft open A1 retail, Odeon Cinema, 23,000 sq ft bars and restaurants and 39 new homes adjacent to the existing high street. “You have to do the job right for it to work long term,” he reflected. Today Swadlincote in South Derbyshire is thriving “with over 1,000 visitors a day, significantly enhancing the vibrancy of the entire town centre”. Renegotiation with Gloucester city planners is also underway for Gloucester Quays phase two l To find out more visit rokebydevelopments.co.uk
February 2020 | www. punchline-gloucester .com | 61
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