The PORTSMOUTH (and area) thread

[Pompey77]

£104m Tipner loan plan is revealed
Published Date:
18 November 2010
By Adam Kula

The best hope yet of transorming the main gateway to Portsmouth has been unveiled.

Portsmouth City Council aims to take out a £104m loan from the government to kick-start work at the Tipner site as part of a major regeneration scheme for the region.

The aim is to build road connections, flood defences and sewer works at the site, allowing developers to move in and turn it into waterside housing.

In the process, the loan will also pay for improvements to the road network from the Rudmore roundabout to Queen Street, and lay the foundations for a technology park on a slice of council-owned land in Havant.

The 33-acre Dunsbury Hill Farm site off the A3M is now just empty fields.

But the hope is that by transforming these areas, the extra business rates generated over 25 years will be used to repay the £104m loan.

In total, the whole plan is estimated to create 1,700 new homes, mainly at the Tipner site but also in the city centre, and 6,000 new jobs at Dunsbury Hill Farm and across the city as a whole.

The scheme is being led by the city council's strategic director Kathy Wadsworth.

It was due to be unveiled at the Shaping the Future of Portsmouth conference in North Harbour this morning as part of an 18-point strategy for economic growth.

Miss Wadsworth said: 'This would be phenomenally important. Can you imagine if Tipner was all developed?

'When you come off the motorway what a brilliant gateway to the city that would be – beautiful houses, waterfront walks, a park-and-ride so people could drop their cars off.'

But the whole project hinges on the government passing a new law.

The type of loan the council wants to take out is a Tax Incremental Finance loan. It could then borrow money on the understanding it can use the extra business rates generated by the completed project to repay the treasury.

The government has said that it intends to make TIFs available, but it will take time to pass through parliament.

Miss Wadsworth said this was unlikely to take effect before April 2012.

'These are projects that have been talked about for 10 to 30 years.

'If we get the money we'd be able to bring them forward in parallel,' she said.

'It would have an enormous impact on the city. People are going to say: what's Plan B?

'I'd say that Plan B is to make Plan A work.

'Who else is going to come forward with the money?'

£25m GRANT COULD BE USED FOR BRIDGE-BUILDING

The council is still pursuing a £25m grant to upgrade motorway access to the Tipner site.

The cash, from the Department for Transport, was originally being sought because it was believed to be the only way work there could be funded.

But if the council is granted the TIF loan, as explained above, it would no longer need the £25m grant.

Nonetheless, Miss Wadsworth said the authority was still seeking the £25m, because it could be put to an alternative use – such as building a bridge over the harbour, running alongside the existing M275.

The proposed bus, pedestrian and cycle route would link Tipner to Horsea Island and Port Solent, where the council is currently consulting residents over a plan for up to 2,000 new homes.

Miss Wadsworth said: 'If we get the grant, which we still could, we could potentially use the money for a bridge between Port Solent and Tipner.

'It'd go a long way towards that.'

The News had also reported that regeneration body, the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire, had set aside £350,000 to prepare planning consent for the Dunsbury Hill site.

It will continue to press ahead with this, while the council waits to hear if its TIF loan plan pays off.

Dunsbury Hill Farm is due to be sited just to the east of the A3M, close to the Hulbert Road roundabout.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...-is.6631178.jp

Fantastic plan and exactly what TIF is meant for.

[cravendale]

very innovative idea, this could hopefully get things kick started - excellent!

[Pompey77]

3D model of Portsmouth would help with planning

Published Date:
15 December 2010
By Aline Nassif
Education reporter

An extraordinary machine at the University of Portsmouth could help transform the city's future.

The Computer Numerical Control milling machine creates pint-sized models of major cities by translating virtual images into smaller physical 3D models.

Lorraine Farrelly, professor of architecture and design at the university, has revealed they might use the machine to create a replica of Portsmouth.

She said: 'We've had a discussion with the city council and they said this was a key area of development for them.

'They have just come up with a major regeneration strategy for the city and want to start looking at connecting up different areas like Gunwharf Quays and Commercial Road.

'By creating an accurate, miniature model of the city it would allow people and developers to see the possibilities for the city.

'They would start to understand the relationship between different parts of Portsmouth - not unlike going to the top of the Spinnaker Tower and getting a view of what's going on.' She added: 'The only hurdle at the moment is the financial aspect, but we will be discussing ways to attract funding.'

The model, costing in the region of £40,000, would be made by connecting up a virtual image of the city to the CNC milling machine, which would then create the shapes out of a block of hard foam at a map scale of 1:1250.

While its home is in Portsmouth, the machine has already been used to create a mini Southampton.

Prof Farrelly said: 'It's time Portsmouth had its own model, and now with the regeneration strategy is the perfect opportunity.

'It wouldn't just be a tool for developers and architects, but we are also seeking to place it somewhere for interested members of the public to see.'

Cllr Mike Hancock, cabinet member for planning, regeneration and economic development, said: 'This model is a fantastic idea and would do wonders to help future developments and projects. It is terrific that we have the technology in Portsmouth.

Students at the university have already used the machine to make reproductions of The Hard, Commercial Road and Queen Street.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...uld.6661287.jp

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[davidaiow]

Ooh! I would LOVE to see that. Models really give people a feel for a development plan.

[Pompey77]

1:1250 is a decent scale too, the New London Architecture model is 1:1500.
That would make a model of the whole of Portsea Is. about 4.5 x 5.4m. Would be quite impressive if done well.

[davidaiow]

^agreed. Fingers crossed. I can see headlines already- "£40k on model rather than healthcare" or something just as irrelevant.

[Pompey77]

The time-lapse construction video of the new Mary Rose Museum has been updated and in the last 1min a piling rig races all around the site!

[Pompey77]

Land is up for grabs in navy base sell-off

Published Date:
27 December 2010
By Adam Kula

A tenth of Portsmouth Naval Base could be sold off as it has been branded 'surplus to requirements'.

The Royal Navy said around 30 acres of the base has no useful purpose any more in the wake of the defence review.

It is now looking at ways to get rid of the land, located next to Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard.

The Royal Navy is asking if the other armed services or departments of the civil service want to use it.

If not, a spokesman said 'anything is possible'.

This could include selling the land to Portsmouth City Council.

In a statement, the Royal Navy said: 'We have identified that, post-SDSR (the defence review), the naval base footprint immediately adjacent to the heritage area is surplus to base requirements.'

Martin Tice, partner at Hampshire property experts Vail Williams, estimated the land is worth at least £15m if sold for business use.

He said: 'As a minimum, if you say £500,000 per acre, it could be £15m.

'But it depends on the use.

'There's been no land available on the island of Portsmouth for some years.

'That's why growth has gone outside the city.

'Public transport is good with the train station and bus interchange.

'There is potential demand there in the future.'

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...abs.6672397.jp

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[ill tonkso]

Whilst I understand there is need for development space on the island, I think this is a stupid idea. The Navy does not know what it may need in the future. The answer to the land shortage is simple, stop building low rise on the island!! Take a look at the Pompey Village for example, we were supposed to get a nice high density development but we got shitty Vista and a big brown wasteland. Then theres the ajoining retail park... Think how much you could have put in that space like actual streets. If they insist on having the retail park, build the carpark as a multi-storey! It's a crying waste of space.

[Pompey77]

Originally Posted by ill tonkso

Whilst I understand there is need for development space on the island, I think this is a stupid idea. The Navy does not know what it may need in the future.

Whatever its needs, in the present or future, I don't think this area of the base can satisfy them. The costs to the navy of maintaining the huge number of listed buildings, which are almost entirely useless to day-to-day navy operations, is surely a reasonable place to be making savings. This corner of the base has long past being operationally useful.

It isn't likely to face much re-development anyway, there is probably only two or three difficult sites in this area suitable for new construction. A big challenge lies in trying to find uses for the large number of historically important buildings here, which should not, and will not, be demolished.

[Pompey77]

This, according to the News' rough map, is the area in question;



My hope would be that Portsmouth Naval base Property Tust would be able to take this land over and manage it in a way similar to that of the rest of the historic dockyard. According to their website;

Its initial purpose was to take responsibility for the long-term preservation of the historic south-west corner of Portsmouth Naval Base which had been released under the 1982 Defence Review. It was also intended to safeguard any further historic defence estate which might either be released in the future by the MOD or become available on the open market. The Trust is therefore a property development agency specialising in the re-use of historic buildings within Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which have an association with the Naval Base.

The buildings and area lends itself to a massive range of uses from light industrial, to top grade office space, boutique hotels and conference facilities. All of which compliments and extends what PNBPT has done with their current landholding. I don't think their is much scope for more exhibitions, at least not to occupy a significant portion of the site. It would also make a superb campus for Portsmouth University but they're too busy turning Ravelin park and Portsea into suburban campuses.

Further land releases is something which has been talked about for some time, so I would assume that PNBPT and PCC have some sort of strategy in relation to this. Certainly in PCC's Hard SPD the old college building (which is the domed building in the top right of the area) was included and was expected to be utilised as a hotel.

[Pompey77]

What's most exciting for me is the prospect of two big public spaces being opened up, the first being the green square in front of admiralty house which will be a superb place to completely escape the noise and traffic of the city and the second being the reunification of the so called 'Victory Arena' (or 'Victory Port Arena' if your PNBPT) which is currently divided in two by the modern dockyard wall (in red below). In fact the removal of this wall (to approximately the location of the blue line below) will make the historic dockyard and victory area feel much more open, and a usable, lively part of the city. The area outlined in yellow is the only large area in this part of the dockyard suitable for complete demolition and redevelopment.

The Victory Arena would thus be enclosed by the new Wilkinson Eyre Mary Rose Museum, HMS Victory, the South Office Block and a new sensitive low rise development of some sorts. Creating an amazing, world class, well used public space.

[ill tonkso]

Hmm, this is one of the most stunning areas of Portsmouth and yes at the moment it is a great shame to know it is inaccessable to the Public. But I still feel Portsmouths history is being sold off.

I however cannot wait to be able to walk around one of the most stunning georgian districts in England, including the Church I was Christened in!

Still, stunning streets such as The Parade will still be hidden away in the base!


Taken from Portsmouthdockyard.org.uk

[Pompey77]

Originally Posted by ill tonkso

Hmm, this is one of the most stunning areas of Portsmouth and yes at the moment it is a great shame to know it is inaccessable to the Public. But I still feel Portsmouths history is being sold off.

Does that matter? Its not going anywhere is it. IMO it may as well not be there if the civilian population cant see it and enjoy it. Its a huge asset to this city which has massive potential and is currently entirely off limits. Opening it up can surely only be a good thing.

On another subject just found this image from Dan Bernard 131 Design Ltd Hampshire of the new Cambers Edge development looking all finished;


Hard to decide from that whether its really good or bloody terrible. Will have to go and inspect for myself when I'm next down. Its about the only residential development I can think of which has gone up over the past year?? Probably wrong there but its certainly the most high profile which says a lot about current level of development in Portsmouth.

On another note entirely. I have found an absolutely fab website for anyone interested in Portsmouth's past. Its called www.history.inportsmouth.co.uk and is a collaboration of a number of local historians. The most exciting aspect by far it the '1860 Project' in which they are creating a 3D model of Old Portsmouth as it was in 1860. Which depressingly highlights the massive destruction of WW2 and following decades. Gems like the old Guildhall, which functioned as a museum after the new guildhall was built, are shown with a wealth of pictures and info;



The governors house; (all of the buildings modelled below have gone)


King James gate;

[cravendale]

I actually saw the new camber development only 2 weeks ago. i quite liked it, some aspects i wasnt massively keen on - its slightly over designed in my opinion but a nice building non the less. I am interested to see how the wood cladding ages in such an exposed location - im predicting it to look shabby quite quickly unless the owner is really hot on maintenance.

[Pompey77]

I seem to remember there were a number of problems with the neighbouring Spinnaker Quay development which arose in the first year or two of occupation and required scaffold to fix. Not sure whether it was the windows, the zinc(?) cladding, or just cleaning off the limescale? or whatever the white stain is? I should imagine that a development of this value with such wealthy residents that upkeep will be pretty decent.

[cravendale]

when you say white stain, if you mean the white marks that appear on masonry shortly after construction its salt. due to the aggregate used in this region being sea dredged it contains salt even after it is washed which leaches out of the masonry leaving white stains on the surface.
no idea what the problem with spinnaker quay was.

[Pompey77]

A couple of news snippets;

£371m tunnel scoops best in the world title
Published Date:
08 January 2011

WHEN drivers heading for London later this year go underground, they will be thrilled to know they are zipping through a world-beating tunnel.

For the £371m Hindhead tunnel has been recognised as the best of its type on the planet.

The one-and-a-quarter-mile-long stretch of the A3 is expected to open this summer and will be the longest road tunnel under land in the UK.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...th=10#comments

Ferry pontoon is on track to help improve Gosport
Published Date:
07 January 2011

The new ferry pontoon in Gosport will be 'the first of many improvements in the town', the leader of the council has said.

The new £5m pontoon is being built in Rotterdam and will be shipped over to Gosport in late March or early April.

The pontoon has a 60 year lease and a life expectancy of in excess of 60 years.

Mark Hook, leader of Gosport Borough Council, said the pontoon is a much needed facility for the town.

'We recognise that there are over 3.5 million users every year and it's important that we have something that attracts people to Gosport from the Portsmouth side and that is nice for Gosport people to use,' he said.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...ack.6682635.jp

[Pompey77]

Plans approved for seafront city's economic future
Published Date: 11 January 2011

An ambitious plan to make Portsmouth a centre of national economic recovery has been approved by city leaders.

Shaping the Future of Portsmouth aims to unite education, business, and the city's residents to make the city 'a centre of business in Britain and globally'.

Its proposals include the £104m housing and business redevelopment of Tipner, and a technology park at Dunsbury Hill Farm, between Leigh Park and Waterlooville.

But its main focus is to bring private enterprise and education together in the city, to create a hi-tech working city, and reduce reliance on the public sector.

Despite a global economic crisis, the city's lead councillor for regeneration, Cllr Mike Hancock, believes it can be delivered.

He said: 'We don't have a magic wand, but this plan has been carefully developed, and worked through with business representatives. It's something we can do, and now is the right time to start.'

The policy, agreed at the city council's cabinet meeting yesterday, states: 'Our vision for Portsmouth draws on its naval and industrial heritage to create an exciting future, no longer founded on large public-sector employers or low-skilled jobs.'

Instead, it hopes to attract firms in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, marine, aerospace and environmental technology.

Cllr Hancock said: 'We have businesses here which are vital to national economic recovery and we want to encourage more of them. We have a great skills-base, and we're excellently placed in the country to attract more firms.'

Part of the policy's focus is on increasing employment, especially in Charles Dickens, Paulsgrove and St Thomas.

At present, the city's median workplace weekly wage is £534, but its median wage for residents is £59 lower, at £475, showing many people travel to Portsmouth for work, but live elsewhere.

Cllr Hancock said: 'Businesses which come here must have the workforce they need, and we mustn't just create jobs for people who live outside the city. We're going to work with businesses and schools, colleges and universities, to encourage firms to come here, to make sure the city prospers.'

by RORY O'KEEFFE

Political editor

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/newshome...39s.6686364.jp

This is very encouraging news, time will tell if its got the right backing to be properly effective, but the fact the council understands the problem and is being proactive in trying to boost the local economy is great.

[cravendale]

I read in "the News" today that the New Theatre royal has been granted a £500,000 grant for the redevelopment work to take place - couldnt find the article on portsmouth.co.uk. but it is very good news for the area since it will attract west end shows to use the space for rehearsals before the show goes live in the West End amongst other benefits!