A consultation to decide the future of a former car dealership in Stroud will take place next month.
Bristol Street Motors car dealership and garage, formerly known as Valley Garage and then Coulters had been a motor dealership for more than 60 years and operated petrol pumps until 2015 on the London Road site. The dealership finally closed in July 2023.
Stroud District Council has received a planning application to redevelop the currently vacant site. The proposal seeks permission for a change of use of the existing building from a car showroom to a retail “food on the go” outlet, or for any other use within the same planning class.
In a statement, David Scott, architectural design and planning consultant, said the development would include significant upgrades to the building.
“The work will include replacement of the existing roofs and alterations to the elevations with a view to improving the insulation quality of the building,” he said. “The existing corrugated roofs will be removed and replaced with new insulated trapezoidal sheet roofing.
“The frontage of the building will be reconfigured to provide a contemporary elevation using through-coloured textured fibre cement panels, larch cladding, and powder-coated aluminium-framed windows and doors.”
Plans also include changes to the parking area at the front of the site. The existing tarmac and paving blocks will be removed and replaced with a newly marked tarmac surface providing 22 parking spaces, including three electric vehicle charging bays and two disabled spaces.
Mr Scott added that the overall footprint of the building would remain unchanged and that all existing trees and shrubs would be protected throughout the works.
Two years ago, plans have been submitted to Stroud District Council to build 35 residential dwellings, two vehicular access points – one off London Road and another off Arundell Mill Lane plus open space.
