Gloucester's The Forum has been recognised as the best commercial property development in the south west of England for 2024, getting a prestigious nod from a global awards scheme.
The city's flagship development, led by Reef Group and Gloucester City Council, has been named Commercial Property of the Year for the region in the CoStar Impact Awards for 2024, which recognises 'exemplary' commercial real estate projects that have 'significantly influenced' neighborhoods or submarkets across the UK, USA and Canada.
CoStar, a global provider of real estate information, analytics and marketing services, promotes the winners of its Impact Awards across its online news platform and marketing communications channels.
The Forum saw off competition from major commercial developments in Bristol and Bath to win the south west award, with judges praising its city-wide impact and the transformation of the former King’s Quarter into a digital and business hub.
One judge commented that The Forum 'has the opportunity to significantly alter the appeal of Gloucester as a location' for business, while another described it as a 'very impressive office building and design which really stands out in the city landscape'.
They also praised its BREEAM Excellent certification for environmental performance and net zero operation, the creation of more than 250 high-skilled jobs and its positioning of Gloucester as a tech hub, due to its closeness to GCHQ and the National Cyber Security Centre.
Supported by £20 million in Levelling Up funding from the UK government, the £107 million Forum development — opening in phases in 2025 with its first business tenant, Fasthosts, having moved in in December 2024 — combines 135,000 square feet of Grade A office space, a 131-room Hotel Indigo with rooftop bar, 'deluxe' specification apartments, retail units and a 398-space car park.
