The long-standing challenge of selling the empty Herbert, Kimberley, and Phillpotts (HKP) warehouses in Gloucester Docks may finally be resolved this week. These former 19th-century council office buildings, which have stood vacant since 2019, have posed significant difficulties for Gloucester City Council.
Since 2023, the council has been attempting to sell these Grade II-listed warehouses, located above Dr Foster, with an agreed sale price reportedly around £2 million. However, the complexity of the site has hindered progress.
In a cabinet meeting scheduled for May 13, city officials are poised to approve a new approach involving the disposal of the HKP site through an underlease agreement. This strategy would allow the council to retain the major lease while granting the purchaser the underlease, simplifying the legal and financial process.
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Liberal Democrat council leader Jeremy Hilton emphasized the benefits of this plan, stating, “This decision makes it easier for the council to sell the site. It’s cleaner and recommended by the new head of place as a more suitable way forward. Although the council retains ultimate ownership should anything go wrong, the process is less complicated and more secure compared to the previous administration’s plan to offload it entirely.”
Cllr Hilton acknowledged past difficulties under earlier disposal methods but expressed optimism that the new plan will expedite the sale and pave the way for the buildings' regeneration. Importantly, this approach allows the agreed sale price to continue with the same purchaser.
The empty HKP warehouses currently cost taxpayers approximately £132,000 annually in security and maintenance fees. The council’s new proposal aims to end these ongoing costs while revitalizing a key historic site in Gloucester Docks.