By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Gloucester council chiefs are being cagey about the real reasons behind the latest delays to their £107m flagship project as the new hotel will not open until 2026.
Once complete, the King’s Quarter project will provide 135,000sq ft of premium office space, retail space, restaurants, a Hotel Indigo and a rooftop bar and multi-storey car park.
However, the regeneration project in Station Road has faced delays and during a recent council meeting the authority’s deputy leader said the council had faced “teething problems” with the project.
The problems were described as “snagging” issues but the authority has stopped short of saying what the problems actually are.
After the meeting, a Gloucester City Council spokesperson said the reasons for delays in the early stages of the project were due to the discovery of an unmapped 24-inch gas main.
They said this required complex repair work and the remains of a 13th Century Friary triggered an archaeological excavation.
However, the Local Democracy Reporting Service understands the development has faced other more recent issues.
An engineer told the LDRS there were weight bearing issues at the building and eyewitnesses said they saw metal girders being elevated and installed inside the building to fix this problem.
Meanwhile, a council source said there were issues with the multi-storey car park and some work had to be redone.
These issues were put to the City Council chiefs and they say contractors identified an “isolated” issue that needed further work to address.
However, they stress the extra work is not linked to an urgent safety concern.
When asked what precisely was the isolated issue contractors identified which required further work, a council spokesperson said they had nothing to add.
“Construction teams continue to work hard to deliver a high-quality development at The Forum that everyone in Gloucester and surrounding areas can be proud of, as it nears completion,” a spokesperson said.
“We’re pleased with the progress, while recognising that any development of this scale is complex and takes a great deal of work.
“During a recent phase of construction, contractors identified an isolated issue that required additional work to address.
“Our priority will always be to deliver a high-quality, safe, and exceptional development, and there is no safety issue that should concern the public.
“The multi-storey car park and public open spaces are due to open in the autumn, and with recruitment well underway, the timeline for welcoming guests to Hotel Indigo will be early next year.
“No2 Cathedral Walk is complete and occupied, and all other office spaces are structurally complete and ready for tenant fit-outs.
“As you will be aware, last week The Forum was crowned regeneration project of the year at
“The Michelmores Property Awards 2025 which recognise achievements in property development, construction and regeneration. It was described by judges as ‘frankly brilliant’.”