£1bn development that could see 4,000 homes built on part-reclaimed land

By Fiona Callingham, Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The next stages in a £1bn development that could see 4,000 homes built on part-reclaimed land in Portsmouth are set to go ahead early next year.

Portsmouth City Council is expecting to progress with plans for the controversial Tipner West scheme in the spring, having now carried out a necessary environmental impact assessment scoping report.

If planning permission for the project is granted at a later date it is proposed the ‘super-peninsula’ in the north of the city will be transformed into a car-free community.

A spokesman for the city council said the development was now needed more than ever to create ‘thousands of real skilled jobs’ in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added: ‘We have also been set a target by central government to build 855 homes every year; a challenge in itself for a city predominantly surrounded by water and with communities not wanting more tower blocks.

‘Therefore, we need to create a balance of what is best for the city, not only for now but for future generations.

‘That is what we are trying to achieve, whilst continuing to follow the stringent ecological and environmental regulations that this important area necessitates.’

The environmental scoping report is used to determine what assessments are needed to be submitted alongside the planning application. Portsmouth council is expecting a response to this by March 2021, to allow plans to progress.

A public consultation on proposals to gather feedback is also scheduled for the spring.

However, as reported, various wildlife groups have objected to the plans.

So far more than 7,700 people have signed a petition against the scheme that has been put together by the Wildlife Trusts and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

As part of the petition they said: ‘If approved, this development will set a dangerous precedent and the damaging impacts will be felt across the UK, not just in Portsmouth.

‘If we don’t start prioritising nature’s recovery, our cities will quickly become uninhabitable for both wildlife and people. This development must be stopped now – we must find a way to meet housing need and support growth without breaching the limits of our land or the natural environment. ‘

It is thought 67 acres of land will be reclaimed as part of the scheme.