Over 800 homes planned for Portsmouth
A planning application for the redevelopment of land at Tipner East has been submitted – more than two decades after the site was first allocated for new housing
Last updated 5th Oct 2022
Housing association Vivid has applied to Portsmouth City Council to build more than 800 homes on the site, which has previously hosted a range of industrial uses and the now-demolished greyhound track.
It described the development, named Victory Quay, as a ‘truly inspiring scheme that will act as a positive gateway to Portsmouth’ and that it was hoping to progress the project ‘as soon as possible’.
‘We’re doing all we can to address the housing shortage and in particular build more affordable homes, which are needed more than ever given the cost-of-living crisis we are facing,’ Vivid chief executive Mark Perry said.
‘The plans we’ve submitted to the council for determination will aid in regenerating this unused site… providing hundreds of homes to local families in a beautifully landscaped place.’
Previous attempts to redevelop the land had stalled in recent years despite planning permission being granted for a 500-home Tipner Regeneration Company scheme in 2012.
However, Vivid took ownership of the land at the end of last year in a bid to bring forward development with its application at the end of last week.
Plans to build more than 200 homes in the southern part of the site bordering Stamshaw Junior School were submitted by Bellway Homes last year.
Outline planning permission has also been granted for the council scheme to build a multi-purpose transport hub to the west of the site.
Vivid’s application includes 835 homes, the majority of which will be flats in several 11-storey waterfront blocks. Of these, 250 will be made available under affordable sale or rental arrangements.
‘The application scheme is the evolution of a design process that has sought to consider the views of the local people, local interest ground, design review panels, the planning history and the policy designations of the site,’ a statement submitted alonside it says.
Cabinet member for economic development at the city council, councillor Steve Pitt, welcomed the submission of the application.
‘It’s important that we continue to listen to the community about any concerns they have but this will be a vital contribution towards new housing in the city and we are looking forward to working with Vivid to progress it as quickly as possible,’ he said.
‘Too many developers have brought forward schemes without any affordable housing included so it’s great to see this come through. I hope many of them will be for social housing.’
The council has set a deadline of January 19 for reaching a decision. Its leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson, speaking in February, said he hoped planning permission could be in place by the end of this year.