Portsmouth city centre: Plans unveiled to bring more people back including benches and play equipment

With funding from the government's Future High Street Fund, Portsmouth City Council plans to revitalise the northern end of Commercial Road – between Craswell Street and Lake Road - in a bid to make ‘a more vibrant, welcoming and greener city centre’. The project forms part of wider regeneration plans for the whole city centre, but Commercial Road was chosen as a point of focus following feedback from residents, retailers, market traders and community groups, the council has said.

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It said it looked at how the high street can be refreshed to declutter and clean up the area and opportunities to introduce new seating, more greenery and inclusive play equipment for children.

Councillor Steve Pitt, leader of the council with responsibility for culture, leisure and economic development said: ‘We've had lots of feedback from businesses, residents and community groups on what they're keen to see in the city centre and how we can make improvements that will help create a future-fit high street.

‘This project to smarten up the north end of Commercial Road is an important piece of the puzzle and supports our wider ambitions to create a more vibrant, welcoming and greener city centre. The Future High Streets funding means we can create new, inclusive spaces for people to meet and rest, add more planting and greenery to the high street and introduce some fun designs and play equipment for children to enjoy.’

According to the council, natural materials and shapes will be used to create sculptural seating that is a focal point for the area. New plants will introduce more greenery and encourage pollinators into the city centre.

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Accessible play equipment and ‘engaging floor graphics’ will be dotted down the street to encourage movement and play. Later this year the council will also be inviting local artists to collaborate on creating colourful designs and focal points along this stretch of the high street.

The Future High Streets project will also see some non-essential signs and street furniture removed and existing paving and seating repaired and cleaned. Over the coming months the designs will be finalised and work is due to begin early next year and be completed by the spring.

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