Southampton City Council has appointed Montagu Evans as strategic development adviser to help drive forward the regeneration of the city.
The Southampton Renaissance Vision is a long-term masterplan and prospectus produced by Prior + Partners alongside the Southampton Renaissance Board and the city council that sets out a vision to transform the city centre.
The masterplan has identified the opportunity to build up to 15,000 new homes, more than 2m sq m of commercial and non-residential floorspace and supporting community infrastructure over the next two decades.
Montagu Evans’ role is to support the move from vision to delivery devising and executing delivery strategies for key development opportunities that will enable a comprehensive programme of regeneration across Southampton.
The Montagu Evans team has also been appointed to review and evolve governance models at local and city-wide levels. All work will be undertaken around the Renaissance Vision’s six key themes: connected, destination, green, innovation, neighbourhoods and waterfront.
Montagu Evans will lead a wider multi-disciplinary professional team including Prior + Partners, Grant Thornton, Mott MacDonald and Vail Williams.
Sarah Bogle, cabinet member for economic development at Southampton City Council, said: “I am delighted to be welcoming Montagu Evans into our Southampton Renaissance team. Montagu Evans brings in a wide range of technical expertise and experience which will support Southampton’s goals to regenerate and transform the city centre.
“The Southampton Renaissance Vision set out the big ambitions that we have for our city, making it a destination that capitalises on our waterfront, green spaces and innovation, and the appointment of Montagu Evans will help us in taking the big strides needed to go from vision to reality.”
Oliver Maury, partner at Montagu Evans and head of the firm’s development advisory team, added: “This is one of the most ambitious and strategically important regeneration programmes currently underway in the UK. Working closely with the Renaissance board and wider project team, our role now is to think big and develop a clear city-wide delivery plan that will navigate complex market environments and create a platform for long-term investment, regeneration and growth.
“It will be essential at every stage to combine a strategic approach, commercial insight and practical delivery to ensure the vision is delivered effectively and the vision to refocus Southampton as a city of opportunity is realised.”
