Joint statement on proposed Portsmouth Football Club development
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY PORTSMOUTH NAVAL BASE PROPERTY TRUST AND PORTSMOUTH HISTORIC DOCKYARD LTD
The Portsmouth Historic Dockyard ship and museum trusts welcome the concept of some sort of development to regenerate the area between Gunwharf Quays and the Dockyard, which is at present a run-down and neglected part of the existing urban landscape. The Property Trust in particular has long been campaigning for a direct waterside link between Gunwharf and the Dockyard to help cross the barrier created by Portsmouth Harbour railway station and the Hard Interchange.
The Trusts are not convinced that PFC’s proposal addresses this need, although they recognize that it is a bold initiative. Any development needs to retain views of the harbour from the Hard and allow sufficient ‘elbow-room’ between it and the Historic Dockyard entrance.
Sir Colin Stansfield Smith, RIBA Gold Medal winner, former Hampshire County Architect and now a trustee of Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust, said: ‘The coastline becomes increasingly precious for a city like Portsmouth which has, through its unique history and heritage, found a pride in itself. The Romans always built their stadia outside the city walls, invariably because of the problems of having huge numbers people in one place, and in Portsmouth the coastline is our city wall.’
At present there is significant concern about accessibility to this part of the city, particularly on match days. Traffic congestion is already a challenge for both the Historic Dockyard and Gunwharf Quays, the needs of whose visitors must be considered on match days, as well as those of the football supporters. Reassurance is also required that the proposed scale and massing of the development will not dwarf or overshadow the Historic Dockyard.
PFC’s developer, Sellar Property Group, has not yet suggested a viable alternative location for HMS Warrior, which could not occupy the space currently proposed for technical reasons. She needs to be positioned where she can continue to mark the entrance to the Historic Dockyard with the status and dignity she deserves.
The trusts now need to evaluate the economic, social and environmental impact of the stadium proposal on the Historic Dockyard as a whole. The Property Trust’s plans for Boathouse 4, the large 1930s building just inside Victory Gate, depended on maximizing panoramic views of the harbour but these have now had to be shelved as a result of the stadium announcement just two weeks before those plans were due to be marketed. While it might be possible for Boathouse 4 and surrounding buildings to be developed as part of the stadium proposal, it remains to be seen whether this would have any beneficial effect on the future economy of the Historic Dockyard.
The Property Trust and Warrior Preservation Trust have attended initial briefings by PFC and Sellar Property Group. Sellar has agreed to fund economic, social and environmental studies to assess the impact of the residential and stadium development on the Historic Dockyard. Meanwhile, it has been suggested that the developer should address the issues of berthing HMS Warrior and moving the entire development further south to incorporate the railway station as well as the Hard Interchange.
A response to these suggestions from PFC and Sellar Property Group is currently awaited, along with confirmation that the economic, social and environmental studies (terms of reference for which have been agreed) will be commissioned as soon as possible. The studies will be undertaken by the University of Portsmouth and tourism consultants Britton McGrath Associates.
