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New Developments

The coastline of the Solent is constantly evolving as sites are developed, redeveloped or undergo change of use to respond to the current economic, social and political climate.  This page summarises current developments that are taking place or are in progress.

Portsmouth Port Master Plan

The City of Portsmouth is in the process of transformation. This time of reshaping Portsmouth for a future of greater economic growth and prosperity comes as the Port itself is going through a transformation with infrastructure improvements including a new terminal, improved access by road and water, and new technology to speed cargo discharge, processing and delivery. These investments also represent a greater emphasis on co-operation with the continent, with Port aspirations meeting EC objectives resulting in the Port cooperating in several EU programmes under the European Regional Development Fund. Investing in infrastructure might be the most obvious means of remaining successful, but taking advantage of opportunities as and when they appear can also provide prosperity for the Port. This is particularly the case with respect to land use when the strategic defence review may allow land and berths to become available in Portsmouth Naval Base. With the Economic Impact Study and the Traffic Forecast both indicating that the passenger cruise industry represents one of the best potential areas of growth for Portsmouth, the contraction of naval assets in Portsmouth represents a potential opportunity.

A Master Plan for the Port of Portsmouth for the next 15 years has been published and is open to public consultation. This important new document outlines key strategies for growth at the Port. Six strategies are outlined to keep the Port a profitable going concern in the 15 years to 2026: major infrastructure investments; corporate social responsibility; land use; business planning; carbon reduction and improved energy management; and future infrastructure. The Master Plan was unveiled at an international summit on the port industry held in Portsmouth on 20 October 2011 as part of the EU’s Ports Adapting to Change (PATCH) project. 

Sea City Museum

Southampton City Council is planning to build a new £15 million museum which will showcase the city’s heritage. Set at the heart of the Southampton’s new and emerging Cultural Quarter, The Sea City Museum will feature two permanent exhibitions focusing on Southampton’s Titanic story and the city’s role as a gateway to the world.  It will also showcase the city’s impressive archaeological and maritime collections - and will feature a new space to be used for temporary exhibitions.

Southampton's Fifth Cruise Terminal

The Port of Southampton has recently presented its plans for a brand new fifth cruise terminal.  The cruise industry has seen remarkable growth over the last ten years, driven by the increase in demand for cruise holidays starting and ending in the UK.  As a direct result of this increase, ABP has, in recent years, invested over £41 million in its cruise facilities, which has enabled the port to provide world class facilities which can cater for all sizes of cruise ships.  The new terminal will be designed to accommodate the largest cruise vessels afloat and will be the result of a further £30 million investment by ABP.  It is expected that work will start on the new cruise terminal in 2011 and will become operational in 2013. The Port of Southampton’s fifth cruise terminal follows Ocean Terminal, the fourth dedicated cruise terminal opened in May 2009.Since its opening, the Ocean Terminal has handled in excess of 800,000 passengers.

Navitus Bay Wind Farm

In January 2010, the Crown Estate awarded Eneco a 280 square mile area of the seabed to explore the most suitable place to locate a wind park with an approximate capacity of at least 900MW. Over the past year, Eneco has been appraising the area and has concluded that a project of between 900MW and 1200MW of capacity could be located in the northern part of the awarded area, a site which covers 76 square miles.  At the closest point, the wind park will be 8.2 miles (13.2km) away from Peveril Point in Swanage. The northern boundary of the site is located 10.2 miles (16.4km) from Bournemouth and 8.4 miles (13.5km) south west of The Needles and the Isle of Wight coast.

The decision on the wind park location was reached after we conducted a Zone Appraisal and Planning (ZAP) process in accordance with guidance from The Crown Estate. This is a new non-statutory strategic planning process designed to give developers a view of their zone as a whole. In order to make the decision, feedback from meetings with stakeholders throughout the year and from public information days held in November 2010 was incorporated. Additionally, findings from engineering and environmental surveys also influenced the final location.

A separate appraisal process is also underway to identify the most feasible cable route to connect the wind park to the National Grid. At present three possible locations have been identified at Chickerell (in Weymouth), Mannington (near Ringwood) and Fawley (near the oil refinery). Consultation on the onshore infrastructure will take place in June 2011. Additionally, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) will begin from May 2011. For further information please call 01926 331 214 or email info@enecowindoffshore.co.uk.

Lymington Berth Facilities

Wightlink has announced that it is applying for the planning permissions and licences it needs to improve its Lymington berth facilities for the 1.3 million passengers each year who use the route served by its “W” class ferries between Lymington and Yarmouth. Wightlink wants to ease the issue of foot passengers getting on and off the ferry caused by having to use a temporary linkspan at Lymington and to protect customers from the weather and improve the ferries’ timekeeping.

The Company is also applying for the planning permission and licences it needs to carry out habitat creation and recharge works to the east of the Lymington ferry route. Wightlink proposes using around 2,000 cubic metres of the 30,000 cubic metres of sediment dredged annually from the harbour to improve and maintain the leisure boat industry’s provisions. The sediment will be placed on an agreed site at Boiler Marsh and is intended to restore habitat in excess of that which might be eroded by the action of the ferries over the next thirty years according to Natural England’s (NE’s) advisors. The works will also protect existing saltmarsh behind the recharge area. It is anticipated that the sediment will need to be recharged to the area once a year for at least three years.

Southampton's Aeronautica museum

The Aeronautica attraction, based at the docks, would house historic aircraft and ships linked to the city.  It would include a full-size replica of the stern of SS Olympic, the sister ship of Titanic which sailed from Southampton on its fateful voyage.  Docks owner, Associated British Ports, is in discussions with Southampton City Council over the site which could open by 2015.  It is hoped successful applications for arts and heritage grants would cover most of the costs.  The plan would also see visitors taken to and from the site on one of the two restored trams that used to run through the city.  The museum, which is set to replace the Solent Sky attraction, would also include some of the ships which took part in the WWII Dunkirk evacuation.

Gosport Waterfront

Plans are in the pipeline to redevelop the waterfront area in Gosport.  Hampshire County Council has given a £20,000 grant to fund a major public consultation in the next few months, giving residents the chance to say how they want the waterfront to look. The waterfront area includes a long section of the coastline including the Royal Clarence Yard retained area, the Coldharbour area, Falkland Gardens and the Bus Station.

The central part of the Coldharbour site and the bus station site will provide the key focus for future regeneration.  The bus station site consists of 1.65 acres adjacent to the ferry terminus and town centre, with panoramic views across Portsmouth Harbour and the Solent, and expectations are for a landmark development based on high quality design and visual appeal. Redevelopment will be a mix of uses such as retail, business, and leisure activities.

The Coldharbour site consists of approximately three hectares, adjacent to Portsmouth Harbour and Gosport Town Centre. Allocated for mixed use development in the Gosport Borough Local Plan Review, the site has a long history of marine-related activity and employment by virtue of its access to deepwater and proximity to the mouth of the Harbour and the Solent. There is potential to retain and expand marine-related employment on this site, as well as develop additional leisure and retail provision to complement the town centre and surrounding area.  There will also be the possibility of future land releases by the Ministry of Defence in the area currently known as the Royal Clarence Yard retained area which is considered suitable for marine employment.  Gosport Borough Council will shortly be preparing a master-plan for the Waterfront.

Centenary Quay

Under development by Crest Nicholson, the 31 acre site at Centenary Quay will provide 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom homes, offices, restaurants, and a major boat production space in a prime coastal location. It is hoped that the development will transform the Woolston area of Southampton.

Hythe Marine Park, Southampton

The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has acquired the former RAF Hythe site from the Ministry of Defence, at Shore Road, Hythe. The Agency has converted the site and buildings into one of the Solent’s newest and most unique Marine Business Parks.  The site which was occupied, until September 2006, by the US Army for the servicing and repair of military vehicles and vessels from across Europe, is one of the few remaining available waterside employment sites in the Solent area.

Cowes Outer Harbour Project

The Cowes Outer Harbour Project (OHP) seeks to support the regeneration of East Cowes and also to make Cowes a true harbour, providing additional protection and increasing the usability and long-term potential of the Outer Harbour area.  The Project is the result of years of intensive partnership work between the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and Cowes Harbour Commission.

Full planning consent has been granted by the Isle of Wight Council for the next phase of the Cowes Outer Harbour Project.  It follows the recent news that Sutton Harbour Holdings PLC had been announced by SEEDA as the preferred developer and operator for the new development. The planning consent covers construction of a marina with 300 permanent berths, dedicated visitor/event berthing and associated facilities, including a marina building, public landing facility and temporary car parking facilities. Outline planning permission has also been granted for further development, comprising the permanent marina car park, a 60-bed hotel, 12 town houses and 324 sq m of commercial floor space.

Cowes Waterfront Initiative

Plans to build 180 new homes in East Cowes on the Isle of Wight were approved in November 2010. The Cowes Waterfront Initiative also involves regenerating an 11-hectare site along the seafront. Barratt Homes will start building the 137 houses and 43 flats next year. Of them 30%, 54 homes, will be affordable.  The project also includes a medical centre, a hotel, a supermarket - which has already opened - and a further 300 homes to be built at a later date. A marine employment quarter will also be built on the waterfront after a 300-berth marina was approved.

Daedalus (Gosport)

Land at Daedalus, a former MoD site based at Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire, has been acquired by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to provide sustainable, high quality mixed-use development.  During March 2011, SEEDA invited those interested in the development of the Daedalus site to view the proposals, prior to the submission of any planning applications. Two planning applications have now been submitted to Gosport Borough Council and Fareham Borough Council respectively.

In Summer 2011 Daedalus Airfield was selected as an Enterprise Zone, 'The Solent Enterprize Zone'.  This work is being led by the Solent local enterprise partnership and proposes:

To encourage investment and exports as a route to a more balanced economy, the Government announced at Budget 2011 that it would establish 21 new Enterprise Zones with superfast broadband, lower taxes, and low levels of regulation and planning controls.

Portsmouth Naval Base

The new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales should both be based in Portsmouth and at 280 metres in length, will take up three jetties when alongside in the Naval Base.  They are due to enter service from 2015.  The ships are the biggest and most powerful warships ever designed and built in the UK. They will be 70 metres wide and the flight deck area is equivalent to 49 tennis courts or three football pitches – large enough to take up to 40 aircraft.  Preliminary work is already underway in the Naval Base to accommodate the vessels. Assessments to define the exact work required have been completed and an impact study is underway to identify any measures required to safeguard the environment.  Three jetties on the western edge of the Base will have to be upgraded and extra shore services will be needed, including an increase in electrical supply.  And approach channels to the Base will have to be dredged to a depth of 10.5 metres – current depth is 9.5 metres - to cope with the ships which will have a full displacement of 65,000 tonnes.   

Royal Pier

Southampton City Council has begun the process of searching for a developer to transform the city’s Royal Pier area into a world class waterfront. The council’s Cabinet has approved the first steps towards redeveloping one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. This first big step is for the three main landowners, Southampton City Council, Associated British Ports and the Crown Estate to create a landowners agreement, which forms the basis for the parties working together to achieve the redevelopment. Then the landowners will invite developers to put forward their ideas as to how the redevelopment might look. These ideas must include improving Mayflower Park to make the waterfront more accessible to the public and ensure that it is a high quality public place that residents and visitors can enjoy.

Development of 201 and 202 Berths, Port of Southampton

Associated British Ports (ABP) proposes to deepen the dredged pockets of berths 201 and 202 within the Port of Southampton, to enable the port to accommodate the latest generation of large container ships currently being brought into service by the world's major shipping lines that use Southampton. By combining berths 201 and 202 to provide over 500 metres of quay with 16 metres of water depth alongside, the effective capacity of Southampton's container terminal will be increased to accommodate four large vessels. This in turn will mean that there will be minimum
delays waiting for an empty berth.

Portsmouth-Ryde Investment

Wightlink is in the process of a major investment programme to improve the service offered on its Portsmouth - Ryde route. £9 million has been allocated to upgrade both the fleet and the terminals at Ryde and Portsmouth Harbour.

Port of Southampton Master Plan

In early 2010, ABP published its Port of Southampton Master Plan.  This is a government led initiative which sets out how ABP sees the future of the port developing until 2030. It identifies additional infrastructure requirements for both the Eastern and Western Docks.