Tricorn House news

In the last post I talked of the Rodborough Fort sale - sadly Tricorn House is still not happening - Dale Vince from Ecotricity wants to tear down the eyesore and replace it with an iconic headquarters for the world's first green electricity company. He is prepared to plough around £10 million into creating new offices for his growing company on the site at Cainscross.

Photos: Grafitti says 'Knock Me Down Please' - and bottom photo showing Tricorn at the end of the road almost makes it look OK

The Citizen reports: "Mr Vince, who was awarded the OBE for his services to the environment, said his dream was to develop an architect-designed landmark with the impact of the "Gherkin" in London but at the same time as zero-carbon as possible. But the snag is that Mr Vince said he had been trying unsuccessfully to buy Tricorn House for the past two years."

They quote him saying: "Our frustrations have reached such a level now we've decided to bring this into the public domain. We need space to grow into. Staff numbers now stand at 130 and will more than double in the next few years. We are looking for a chance to do something really 'out there' in terms of technology and design - something stunning. We are talking probably £10 million."

The four-storey Tricorn House was built in the 1970s and for years served as offices for the Department of Health and Social Security and as locals will know is on a gateway to Stroud - but has been empty for many years - and been vandalised and fallen into disrepair.

I've known of Ecotricity's interest in the site for a long time and find it hard to understand why developers wont sell the site. Is it greed? Can they really get a better offer by holding on? House prices are starting to fall....certainly when I helped with the Cainscross Parish Plan Tricorn House was the issue that was raised most by locals - they want it down or radically improved - it is an horrendous blot on the landscape. Good luck to Dale - and if those developers are reading this please act to help us improve our community.