Gloucestershire County Council, with The Ernest Cook Trust has sought Expressions of Interest (EOI) from suitably experienced development partners or promoters to deliver a vibrant and sustainable new community in Wisloe, Slimbridge (based within the boundary of Stroud District Council (SDC)) through the construction of circa 1,500 new homes along with 5 hectares of employment land, retail, community uses (including a primary school) and open space.

The land, owned jointly by the Council and The Ernest Cook Trust, is earmarked in SDC's draft Local Plan (submitted October 2021) for a new residential project. It presents an opportunity to create a unique rural community that addresses the demand for affordable housing in the Stroud district. Both parties aim to establish a long-term development agreement with a partner(s). The Council seeks a development partner willing to invest and collaborate over an initial 10-year term, extendable up to 20 years, to drive economic and housing growth.

The proposed role of the development partner/promoter is as follows:

• to provide the majority or all of the required risk capital;
• assemble and manage the professional team;
• arrange construction contracts and secure funding; and
• collaborate with the Council and The Ernest Cook Trust to oversee the development process and mitigate key project risks.