This event is open to all members and non members, you don't need to be a member of the Young Planner network to attend
Core CPD Framework:
- Placemaking & Design
- Planning Law and Process
- 2 1/2 CPD Hours
Event Description
Walk with us through Gloucester’s storied streets — where heritage, policy, and place come together over a shared pint. Organised by RTPI Gloucestershire Young Planners, led by SF Planning and Gloucester City Council, this unique event offers a chance to reflect on how the city’s built environment and historic fabric have been shaped, preserved, and adapted over time.
Our route includes:
- Cafe Rene – A vibrant example of adaptive reuse, reflecting how heritage assets can remain alive in modern urban life.
- Robert Raikes’s House – A Grade II* listed townhouse with deep connections to education reform and Georgian architecture.
- The New Inn – One of the UK’s finest surviving medieval galleried inns, offering a tangible insight into commercial life in historic Gloucester.
- The Pelican Inn – A case study in preserving traditional pub culture within a conservation area.
We'll discuss the challenges of managing and conserving heritage assets in a modern urban environment, highlighting planning strategies and interventions.
We'll also pause outside the Fleece Hotel on Westgate Street to explore its fascinating architectural and planning history — once a grand coaching inn, now a crucial piece of Gloucester’s urban fabric.
Whether you’re a planner, student, conservationist, or simply curious about how history and planning intersect, this is an event not to be missed.
Learning outcomes
- Enhance understanding of heritage conservation in practice
- Identify key planning considerations for historic assets
- Appreciate the interrelationship between history and urban development
- Explore successful examples of adaptive reuse
- Network and engage with planning professionals
Programme
- 16:30 – 16:45 Meet & Greet at St Oswald’s Priory
- Welcome from organisers
- Brief talk on the ancient priory ruins and early heritage in Gloucester
- Overview of the walk and its heritage + planning them
- 16:45 – 17:10 Stop 1 – The Pelican Inn
- Heritage pub located near the historic priory precinct
- Discussion on its history and integration with the surrounding historic environment
- Adaptive reuse and pub preservation in planning policy
- 17:10 – 17:25 Walk through Gloucester Cathedral Precincts
- Informal commentary on cathedral planning controls and setting protection
- 17:25 – 17:35 Stop 2 – The Fleece Hotel (view from outside)
- Overview of this significant but at-risk heritage asset
- Talk on regeneration challenges, listed status, and planning interventions
- 17:40 – 18:05 Stop 3 – The New Inn
- Historic courtyard inn with medieval origins
- Balancing heritage tourism with development needs
- How local plans and conservation appraisals shape such assets
- 18:10 – 18:35 Stop 4 – Robert Raikes’s House
- Georgian building and birthplace of the Sunday school movement
- Planning in central Gloucester and maintaining character in commercial zones
- 18:35 – 19:00 Final Stop & Networking – Café René
- Wrap-up discussion and informal Q&A
- Opportunity for drinks and networking
Speakers
Kate Biggs – Principal Conservation Officer, Gloucester City Council
Paul Jenkins – Planning Consultant, SF Planning
With thanks to
SF Planning and Gloucester City Council for their support for this event.
Accessibility
- Parking is available at various locations across the city centre. The nearest to the start point is at Westgate Street Car Park (GL1 2RU).
- The nearest train station is Gloucester station, 15 minutes’ walk from the starting point.
- A quiet area can be made available in restaurant if required.
- There is a disabled toilet available.
The RTPI is committed to delivering inclusive events; to make sure that everyone can have the best possible experience. To help work towards being able to do this an event organiser will contact all booked participants to discuss any access needs or requirements that they might have. Contact Charlotte Daborn to discuss any questions or concerns you may have.
