Portsmouth City Council has selected ECF as preferred development partner for the City Centre North regeneration scheme.
The development, which covers 13.25-hectares of brownfield land in the heart of the city centre, has the potential to deliver up to 2,300 new homes, new workspace and leisure space and more than 240,000 sq ft of new public spaces, including a significant urban park.
Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of ECF, which is a partnership between Homes England’s National Housing Bank, L&G and Muse, said: “City Centre North is one of the most significant regeneration opportunities on the south coast. It has the potential to deliver essential new homes, public space, jobs and connectivity in the heart of Portsmouth, supporting the council’s wider ambitions for the city.
“ECF has spent more than two decades turning complex, high potential areas into thriving places, and we are building a growing pipeline of partnerships across the South that reflects exactly this kind of ambition. Portsmouth’s waterfront setting, connectivity and clear ambition make this an exciting place for the partnership.
“We’re looking forward to working with Portsmouth City Council over the coming months to explore the site in detail, test what’s deliverable here, and build the case for how we might take this forward together. I’m certain that, done well, City Centre North will be recognised for years to come as a benchmark for what can be achieved through ambitious, locally-led regeneration.”
Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, added: “It’s fair to say that bringing forward plans for City Centre North has taken longer than anyone would have hoped, but Portsmouth has changed significantly during that time, and so have people’s expectations of what they want from their city centre. The way we shop, work and spend our leisure time has evolved, giving us the opportunity to create something that is better suited to the city’s future needs.
“This partnership is an important next step in making sure we get the development right. By working with ECF, we can thoroughly test the options, build a strong evidence base and explore the best way to bring these plans forward. We have a real opportunity to create a thriving new neighbourhood with much-needed homes, quality public spaces and opportunities for local businesses, while improving connections between the city centre and waterfront. Our focus is on creating something that will benefit Portsmouth for decades to come.”
