Five years after a string of much-loved community organisations were forced to leave Brimscombe Port, residents are being invited to help shape the future of the site at a public event this week.
In 2021, Rush Skatepark, The Long Table, Stroud Furniture Bank, Stroud District Kids’ Stuff, Inside Football, Stroud Foodbank and The Bike Drop were all required to vacate the port to make way for a regeneration scheme that has yet to begin.
Now, the Thrupp Community Development Group and Brimscombe and Thrupp Parish Council are inviting the public to a listening and sharing session on Wednesday 30 July, from 7.30pm to 9pm at Brimscombe Mill, to restart discussions about the site’s “meanwhile use” while longer-term redevelopment plans continue.
The event will explore how the redundant site could be brought back into temporary community use before permanent development gets underway, with organisers keen to hear ideas from local residents on how the space should be used and who should help run it.
Among the questions being discussed are:
- How would you like to see the space being used?
- Who should organise the space?
- Would you like to be involved in bringing the meanwhile space to life?
- Attendees will also hear an update on the latest plans for Brimscombe Port from Cllr Helen Elliot-Boult and Will Mansell, members of the newly reformed Brimscombe Port Project Board.
The pair will outline the current position of the regeneration project and its aspirations, before opening the floor for discussion about the site’s short-term future.
Organisers say the event is an opportunity for residents to help shape the next chapter of one of the district’s most significant regeneration schemes.
Food will be available from Long Table until 7pm, with the bar remaining open until 7.30pm for those wishing to grab a drink before the meeting begins.
Last year, Stroud District Council announced it was taking the next major step in the regeneration of Brimscombe Port by launching a procurement process to appoint a new development partner for the landmark site.
Following the withdrawal of the previous developer in 2025, the council commissioned a soft market testing exercise to gauge interest in the site. It received responses from a range of developers with strong track records in delivering complex, sustainable, and community-focused regeneration schemes.
As part of budget for the next financial year, the council has set aside £10,000 to explore temporary uses for the redundant site.
