Gosport has been awarded £18m in government funding to support regeneration of the Rum Store at Royal Clarence Yard, and development of a route between the town centre and the historic waterfront.

This is great news for the borough, as the project will support improved quality of life for Gosport residents and provide economic benefits. More information is available at https://www.gosport.gov.uk/article/2624/Gosport-Borough-Council-awarded-over-18m-in-Levelling-Up-Funding-to-transform-historic-waterfront

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The awards took place at the state-of-the-art Portsmouth Centre for Creative and Immersive Extended Reality (CCIXR). STS Defence’s award recognizes the success of a recently-won contract from the Ministry of Defence to develop and demonstrate innovative software algorithms to capture noise and vibration data from sensors in order to identify defective channels so that they can be removed from the data-stream prior to processing by other systems.

Portsmouth Innovation Award first timers Lockheed Martin UK who sponsored the award, spoke of their experience. “As a large company based in the area, we are proud to encourage and support exciting, innovative ideas and ambitious plans that will inspire others”, said Emlyn Taylor, Group Managing Director. “These awards highlight the work and ingenuity of local companies and people and with the Maritime sector being incredibly important to our business, we are delighted to celebrate and promote the technologies and innovations in this area, which can only bring economical benefits and help people thrive for decades to come.”

Jonathan Bowley, Managing Director at STS Defence spoke of his delight at the outcome; “We are delighted to have won and to have had the chance to demonstrate our research and development capabilities. As an SME that is continually innovating, winning this award only furthers our ambitions. Thank you again to all our staff who contributed to this success.”

For further information about sensor health contract award, please visit: https://www.sts-defence.com/.

About STS Defence:

STS Defence is a UK based technology and engineering business, specialising in mission-critical communications, electronics and intelligent systems. We operate in markets that include the defence, marine, aerospace and nuclear sectors. We help our customers to resolve complex technical challenges; investigating and creating innovative solutions, designing and manufacturing equipment, and integrating and supporting systems through-life.

For further information contact:           

Katy Ladyman                                                 T: 02392 424 343

STS Defence Limited                                     F: 02392 584 222

Mumby Road                                                  katy.ladyman@sts-defence.com

Gosport, PO12 1AF                                        www.sts-defence.com

Source: STS Defence

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Alcumus SafeContractor is a leading accreditation scheme which recognises extremely rigorous standards in health and safety management amongst contractors. It is used by thousands of organisations in the UK including SMEs and FTSE 100 companies.

Based in the historic Royal Clarence Yard in Gosport, Hampshire, Momentum Electrical Ltd specialise in the provision of electrical installation, testing and maintenance services to the industrial, commercial, marine and residential market segments.

The company’s application for SafeContractor accreditation was driven by the need for a uniform standard across the business. SafeContractor accreditation will enhance the company’s ability to win new contracts, and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

Gemma Archibald, Chief Operating Officer of Alcumus SME said: “Major organisations simply cannot afford to run the risk of employing contractors who are not able to prove that they have sound health and safety policies in place.” “More companies need to understand the importance of adopting good risk management in the way that Momentum Electrical has done. The firm’s high standard has set an example which hopefully will be followed by other companies within the sector. SafeContractor plays a vital role in supporting our clients in meeting their compliance needs, whilst working with their contractors as they progress through the accreditation process.”

Nicholas Rolf, Managing Director of Momentum Electrical said “The work we carry out can be fraught with risk and maintaining a safe system of work is vital to ensure the safety and welfare of our own employees as well as that of our customers.” “We firmly believe that the SafeContractor accreditation will give prospective customers the confidence that we are a competent, professional and safe organisation to deal with.” ”As a SME, this is a fantastic achievement and one of the key initiatives that we believe will provide a solid foundation for sustainable growth and future employment opportunities.”

Source: www.momentumelectrical.co.uk

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Homes England has confirmed its development partner for the regeneration of the 42-acre waterfront site at Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent as a joint venture between MurrayTwohig Development, Orwell Real Estate and Patron Capital, led by Daedalus Development Company.

The appointment follows Homes England marketing to find a partner to realise the comprehensive regeneration that will provide an economic boost to the local economy through the creation of new commercial and leisure sector jobs, as well as providing much needed housing while protecting and reinvigorating the collection of historic and listed assets.

A unique and important history

From 1914 until 1996, RNAS Lee-on-Solent, HMS Daedalus was a site of extraordinary energy, innovation, and vibrancy – home and workplace to thousands, the engine of an entire community and a point of pride for the nation.

The site was established as a seaplane base in 1917, during the First World War. In 1931 the first grass airstrip at Lee was constructed and by 1936 it became RAF Coastal Command. During WWII the site played an important role in the invasion of Normandy and was a major embarkation centre for D-Day. Following the war the site continued as a Royal Navy Air Station. In 1962 the Joint Service Hovercraft Unit was formed with the aim of testing hovercraft in an operational military environment, and soon after the Air Station reverted to the name HMS Daedalus on 5 October 1965. The site is now home to the largest collection of hovercraft in the world in The Hovercraft Museum.

A new vision

The waterfront site is the final element of Daedalus within Homes England’s ownership to come forward for development. In recent years the site has been largely empty and dormant, and the important historic assets awaiting viable reuse. This new, ambitious vision, designed by master-planner ACME, is for a creative regeneration of this historic waterfront site with a targeted, design-led, industrial innovation strategy supported by the local community.

Central to the vision is the restoration of the historic buildings, including the First World War hangars that face the Solent. These will act as a catalyst for economic development, a gateway to the project and an upgraded home for The Hovercraft Museum. The goal is to help it become a world-class visitor attraction – joining the rest of Hampshire’s unrivalled Naval and Maritime attractions.

This will be supported through the creation of around 450,000 square feet of new, modern employment work and light industrial space to attract new businesses and jobs to the Solent Enterprise Zone. The ambition is for the creation of a complete community, with the provision of c350 private and affordable homes.

Alongside the housing and commercial space, new services and facilities will be provided for the local community, including a public park in the residential areas and in Seaplane Square, creating new, attractive places for local residents and visitors.

Health, wellbeing and environmental sustainability underpin all elements of the proposals.

This unique project requires a depth of knowledge and experience in the creation of successful mixed-use communities and destinations around complex historic buildings and settings. The joint venture team has experience on over 400 million square feet of mixed-use property across the world, and will work in collaboration with the local community, and all stakeholders, including the local authority and Historic England, over the coming years to solve this challenging and historic site.

Jeremy Herring, Homes England said:

”Daedalus Waterfront benefits from being part of the Solent Enterprise Zone, with rich history, heritage buildings and wonderful location opposite the Solent. Daedalus Development Company’s exciting vision for the comprehensive regeneration of the site will create a great place to work, live and visit for the local community.” 

David Twohig co-founder of MurrayTwohig Development and CEO of Daedalus Development Company said:

“This is an extraordinary opportunity to bring all of the energy and buzz back to Daedalus, and to work with the local council and community to bring back pride and status to this historic place. We are excited that Homes England are backing our ambitious vision for this site, which has so much potential and these incredibly rich layers of history. We have hard-earned experience in preserving heritage, bringing community benefits and developing mixed-use places, and we will apply that experience, with local community guidance, to make this much-loved site, a vibrant and productive asset for the peninsula and wider region.”

Kevin Cooke, Senior Partner at Patron Capital said:

“We have a long track-record in delivering mixed-use regeneration schemes that are both sympathetic to and in celebration of their surroundings, as well as in working in the collaborative joint ventures that are needed to bring diversity of thought and experience to achieve the best possible end result. This project is an exciting opportunity to leverage this expertise and work alongside industry-leading partners to deliver a milestone project in the UK.”

Source: Daedalus Development Company

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Two new eye-catching murals inspired by Gosport’s rich nautical history are set to be unveiled in the town.

A colourful design depicting Gosport’s HMS Alliance submarine, ropes, chains and propellers will wrap the waterfront side of the bus station. And a bright and bold image including local landmarks will be installed in the town centre – on the corner between the High Street and South Cross Street.

The murals are part of a wider programme of improvement works being undertaken by the council. The improvement works are supported by £215,000 of funding from the Welcome Back Fund. The fund aims to encourage people to return safely to the high street and give a much-needed boost to communities and businesses after the impact of the pandemic.

Cllr Graham Burgess, Leader of the Council, said: “These public murals will be fantastic additions to the esplanade and town centre – a celebration of Gosport, our history, heritage and communities. The pandemic has had a huge impact on our individual lives and the town’s businesses so it’s vital we invest in our public spaces, like the high street and waterfront, and give people good reasons to get out and about. We want to embrace the future of the high street and give a boost to businesses – that is what the Welcome Back Fund is all about. This is a fantastic start to an ambitious programme of improvements in Gosport.”

Work on the bus station mural began last week and the city centre mural is due to get underway on 23 March. They should both be complete by early April.

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The money will be used by Gosport Borough Council to help pave the way for two ambitious projects.

One is the transformation of the bus station site, near the ferry terminal, into an iconic waterfront development with shops, places to eat and flats.

The other is the redevelopment of the council’s Wilmott Lane depot to create modern, eco-friendly homes.

The money ­- £1.35m for the bus station site and £850,000 for the depot plan – has come after successful applications by the council to the government’s Brownfield Land Release Fund, via the One Public Estate programme.

The fund, part of the national levelling-up agenda, is designed to help local councils progress new developments on brownfield (previously built-on) sites that they own. It can be difficult to attract developers to such sites because they can need costly clean-up and demolition work.

The council is working to replace the present ageing bus station with a new harbourside area that will attract more shoppers and tourists to the borough and boost the local economy. This could include bars and restaurants, shops, a hotel, a gym and a visitor centre celebrating Gosport’s naval heritage. At least 200 energy-efficient homes could be provided as part of the scheme.

The new government money would be used to help prepare the site, including demolishing the bus station, to make it a more attractive proposition for developers.

Hampshire County Council is leading on a project to build a new transport interchange nearby, and is now seeking planning permission.

At the Wilmott Lane depot, Gosport Borough Council hopes to demolish the buildings, clean up contamination and remove underground storage tanks, as preparation for redevelopment. Council services would move to other sites.

The depot site could be suitable for about 160 new energy-efficient homes, a large proportion of which could be social housing with affordable rents.

Cllr Graham Burgess, Leader of the Council, said: “This money is a huge boost to our plans to bring new life to Gosport’s town centre with an attractive harbourside development – a new gateway for the borough – and create badly-needed new homes.

“The old bus station is an eyesore and needs to go, but we need to smooth the way for potential developers so they can create something special for Gosport, while making commercial sense for them.

“Similarly, the old depot site is rundown and in poor condition, and not suitable for a residential area next to a beautiful Victorian cemetery. But to create new homes there we need to get the site cleared and cleaned up.

“Both these projects will create jobs and help the local economy as we look forward to emerging from the pandemic.”

The two projects are both at an early stage and will need to go through the planning approval process, which will involve public consultation.

Source: Gosport Borough Council

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Cllr Graham Burgess said a planning application for a new transport interchange was a major boost to plans to redevelop the waterfront site, near Gosport ferry terminal.

The borough council wants to bring in a developer to replace the present ageing bus station with a new waterfront area including bars, eateries and shops. But before this can happen, there needs to be a new facility for buses.

Hampshire County Council, as highways authority, has submitted a planning application for a proposed new transport interchange, made available for public comments today. A decision on whether to give planning permission is expected to be made by the county council’s regulatory committee in late spring.

Cllr Burgess said: “We’ve been working closely with Hampshire on this project and it’s great to see the planning application process under way.

“This is the first big step in trying to get the waterfront area remodelled and redeveloped.

“We want to bring the waterfront up to date, make it more attractive as a place to visit, and make it more useful to people travelling around the area.

“Of course, we need to see whether approval will be given, but this is exciting progress.”

The proposed new interchange would have a more efficient layout, including a modern shelter with real-time bus information displays. The taxi rank and the pick-up/drop-off would move to the current bus station site, fronting South Street, and the short-stay parking would move to The Esplanade.

As part of the wider scheme, there would also be a link across the High Street between North and South Cross Street, bringing buses into the main shopping area.

The scheme would be carefully designed to enhance the setting of the Falkland Gardens and maintain the views of the gardens and the wider waterfront area.

The project is being led by Hampshire County Council, using £5.2m of government funding, with a contribution from Gosport Borough Council.

Residents can comment on the planning application until 11 March. They can go to Hampshire’s planning application portal and search for application HCC/2022/0041

Source: Gosport Borough Council

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They are being invited to comment on the first draft of Gosport Borough Council’s Local Plan, which outlines how the area should develop up to the year 2038.

The draft plan sets out where new development should take place and includes policies to decide future planning applications. It also includes policies to protect the borough’s special heritage, open spaces and nature conservation areas.

The plan says development should mainly be focused on brownfield sites which have been occupied by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice, but which could be opened up for residents – creating new neighbourhoods and jobs. 

It proposes that most new development should be concentrated in two areas. One includes Gosport town centre, Gosport waterfront and the Haslar peninsula. The other is the Daedalus regeneration area, which includes a leisure-led development at Seaplane Square with more employment space and homes elsewhere on the site.

The plan also outlines proposals for land that may become available in the Rowner and HMS Sultan area.

Although the government says around 5,500 homes will be needed in the borough, the plan seeks to balance this with the need for economic activity, quality open spaces, infrastructure and facilities. It also seeks to safeguard the local environment. Because of these factors, and a lack of available sites, it includes plans for only 3,500 new homes.

The new housing will help meet local needs and will include a range of affordable homes for people of different ages. It will also help improve the viability of the brownfield sites, which will need investment in infrastructure and repairs.

Cllr Graham Burgess, Leader of the Council, said: “We need a local plan that reflects a wide range of local voices.

“Whether you’d like to support a policy in the plan, object to something or ask for an amendment, we’d really like to hear your views.

“This is a very important document, setting out what the borough could look like in 2038, and it’s important that we all help to get it right.”

The council’s consultation on the draft plan ends on 3 December.

Residents can go here to read the draft plan or see a summary. They can comment online and also book a slot at an exhibition staffed by planning officers.

There are unstaffed displays, including copies of the draft plan and paper response forms, at the Town Hall (Mon-Tue 9am-5 pm, Wed-Fri 10am-2pm), the Discovery Centre, Bridgemary Library, Elson Community Library and Hub, Lee Hub and Gosport Leisure Centre.

The local plan team can be contacted by email or on (023) 9254 5461. Their postal address is: Planning Policy Team, Gosport Borough Council, High Street, Gosport PO12 1EB.

Once comments are considered, the council will make amendments where necessary, then carry out a second consultation. Any unresolved issues will be considered by an independent planning inspector. The new plan will come into effect in 2023.

Source: Gosport Borough Council

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The bus station site has been allocated for development within the Gosport Borough Local Plan, alongside plans to deliver a proposed new transport interchange for Gosport during 2023, using investment from the government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

The council’s ambition is to create an iconic gateway development for Gosport that also respects and celebrates the history, heritage, and maritime culture of the area.

Councillor Graham Burgess, Leader of Gosport Borough Council, said: “With proposals in the pipeline for a new transport interchange in Gosport, it’s important we start to carefully consider the options for the future of the existing bus station site. There is a real opportunity to create a new gateway to the town with facilities and amenities that benefit residents and visitors. By inviting developers to purchase the site and begin shaping their ideas now, we will be in a strong position to begin redeveloping this area for the community once the new interchange opens.”

Notes:

Link to Gosport Bus Station mixed use development opportunity (Savills website)

Link to Gosport Borough Local Plan (Gosport Borough Council website)

Source: Gosport Borough Council 17 September 2021

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The checks, some by phone but others during unannounced visits, will be made by officers working for Gosport Borough Council and the national Health and Safety Executive.

The work is part of a programme of inspections being run all over the country by the HSE, working with local councils.

During the checks officers will provide advice and guidance to businesses to help them manage risk and protect workers, customers and visitors. Where some businesses are not managing this, action may be needed. This can range from giving specific advice to issuing enforcement notices, stopping certain work practices until they are made safe or, where businesses fail to comply, prosecution.

Ian Rickman, head of environmental health for Gosport Borough Council, said: “Being covid-secure needs to be the priority for all businesses, and we’re working with the HSE to help them follow the rules.

“It’s a legal duty for them to protect their workers and others from harm and this includes taking reasonable steps to control the risk and protect people from coronavirus.

“Businesses of any size, in any sector, might get a call or a visit to ensure they are covid-secure. By making sure that businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of the local community as well as support the local and national UK economy.”

Gosport Borough Council and Fareham Borough Council share a joint environmental health service and will be working on similar operations with the HSE.

For more information on how to manage the risk of coronavirus, businesses can check the government guidance.

See more information on the spot checks programme.

Source: Gosport Borough Council

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