Gloucester Services

Area characterisation: 

Located on the M5, between junction 11A and junction 12. The site is surrounded by the Cotswold area of outstanding natural beauty.

Objective: 

To create a sustainable service station which has minimal impact on its surroundings and is sensitive to surrounding environment of the Cotswolds (AONB).

Actions: 

As the site was flanked by the Cotswolds and Robins wood Hill, it was important to minimize the environmental impact and blend the building into the surrounding countryside.

To achieve this the buildings were designed so that they would not disturb the view, with a 4,000m2 green roof to...

Potential impacts/benefits: 

Potential impacts/ benefits

Challenges addressed

Enhancing sustainable urbanisation

Restoring ecosystems and their functions

Developing climate change mitigation

Developing climate change adaptation

Green space management and enhancing urban biodiversity

· Improve air quality

· Increase accessibility to green open space

· Increase biodiversity

· Carbon sequestration and storage

· Increase infiltration and water storage

Public health and well-being

· Social inclusion

· Increase well-being

· Increased cultural richness and biodiversity

Potential for economic opportunities and Green Jobs

· Creation of jobs relating to construction and maintenance of NbS

Water management

· Improve water quality

· Reduce run-off

Transferability of the result: 

Useful for developments that are near wetlands, or near areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Lessons learned: 

Businesses and charities can successfully work together, and new developments can give back to local communities and the environment.

If a site is designed and constructed well, from the environmental side as well as the well-being side, this can have a positive impact on attracting wildlife to the vicinity giving customers a pleasant, green environment to enjoy.

Financing: 

Funded by Westmorland limited / Gloucestershire Gateway Trust. A percentage of profits from service station go towards charity community projects.

Contacts: 

Goals:

  • Enhancing sustainable urbanization

NBS Actions:

  • Nature-based solutions for improving well-being in urban areas

Keywords:

Afforestation, Biodiversity, Carbon sequestration and storage, Goods, Landscape, Social justice, Temperate, Think Nature, ThinkNature, Wetlands, Creation of green jobs relating to construction & maintenance of NBS, Improve air quality, Increase infiltration / Water storage, Improve water quality, Increase Biodiversity, Increase accessibility to green open spaces, Increased cultural richness and biodiversity, Reduce run-off, Increase well-being, Social inclusion

Client:

Westmorland limited / Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

Design team:

AFL Architects, Buckingham Group,

Glen Howells Architects, Building With Nature

Awards:

Project Design - ACE Engineering Excellence Awards 2015.

New Build Category - Civic Voice National Design Awards 2015.

Best Design & Development - Forecourt Trader of The Year Awards 2015.

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