Statement on proposed Portsmouth Football Club stadium
At this stage we have not seen any detailed plans for the proposed new stadium but cautiously welcome what could be a very exciting development.
As the premier tourist attraction in the City, we will need to be reassured that a premier division football stadium is an appropriate neighbour. But when combined with the Spinnaker Tower and Gunwharf Quays it is possible that the proposal would complement the vibrant and modern waterfront image of the City, as well as attracting many more visitors to the City as a whole.
We would, however, need to be satisfied on several points such as the question of accessibility to this part of the City particularly on match days; traffic congestion is already a challenge for us. We would also have to consider the needs of our visitors against those of the football spectator and ensure that the two can be adequately met in harmony. We are not yet clear on the actual size of the stadium and residential construction, but we will be looking for reassurance that our potential neighbour would not dwarf the Historic Dockyard and overshadow the experience for our many visitors.
But, all in all and with careful management, we see this proposal as an exciting opportunity with a wide range of possible benefits for the City, for Portsmouth City Football Club and for Portsmouth Historic Dockyard