The next steps for the Tipner West project
PLANNING
THE Tipner West project forms a key part of the council’s
Local Plan, which sets out how it will meet government housing targets and its development priorities.
A draft version of this went out for consultation last week. This will finish at the end of October before final proposals are put together.
Three consultation events will be held across the city next month:
Saturday, October 16 from 10am to 1pm at Cosham Library Tuesday, October 19 from
4pm to 8pm at Pompey in the Community in Fratton
Wednesday, October, 20 from 10am to 2pm at Central Library
Councillor Hugh Mason, the council’s cabinet member for planning policy, said government demands had forced the inclusion of more development than were capable of being built.
‘The government is forcing the council to plan to build an extra 17,700 new houses in Portsmouth over the next 15 years,’ he said. ‘This is far too many in an island city, but the government have rejected our request to have a more realistic housing target.’
He acknowledged the need to ‘treat Portsmouth Harbour with respect’ but said the Lennox Point would create thousands of jobs and homes while allowing sea defences to be installed.
A public consultation specifically on the Tipner West proposal is due to take place in November.
However, plans are already being drawn up with the aim for an outline planning application be submitted next summer.
‘We’re about a year away from submitting a planning application,’ Mr Hall said. ‘We have consultations later this year which will help shape that. There’s still lots of time for people to influence things.’
With the proposals being submitted in outline form, detailed designs for much of the project would have to be approved at a later date.
Construction work could begin as soon as 2024 although it is expected the project would take about 30 years to fully complete.