Plans for landmark building at Victoria Park on hold as university focuses on its masterplan projects first

Planning permission was granted in both 2021 and then again in 2022 for a 12-storey £135m building to be built in place of the Victoria Swimming Baths which was demolished by Portsmouth City Council in May 2010.

It was planned to house the university's business, law and humanities departments with new teaching spaces and lecture theatres, as well as a new 'destination' restaurant and roof terrace and was originally supposed to open at the end of last year.

However there has been no construction work and last year the University of Portsmouth instead unveiled its new ‘masterplan’ for the city which highlights six priority projects for the next few years - with the building at Victoria Park not being one of them.

They are:

• Refurbishment of the Wiltshire Building on Hampshire Terrace. Expected completion date: December 2025
• Multi-Storey Car Park on the existing Eldon Building car park located off Bedford Street. Expected completion date: Spring 2026
• Student Hub on the site of the current Student Union Hub on Cambridge Road. Expected completion date: Summer 2026
• Teaching Laboratory Building on the site of the former Nuffield Building on St Michael's Road. Expected completion date: Summer 2027
• Civil Engineering Lab (CELAB) on the site of the Wiltshire Building car park. Expected completion date: Spring 2028
• Technology Building on the site of the current University House building on Winston Churchill Avenue. Expected completion date: Spring 2028

A University of Portsmouth spokesperson said that it still included the Victoria Park building in its longer-term plans for the city but said it was now prioritising other projects first.

Click here to learn more about The News’ emails and get the headlines delivered to your inbox

They said: "The Estate Masterplan is an ambitious, exciting, and transformative development for both the University and the City, ensuring the university’s long-term presence and growth over the coming decades. This plan includes constructing several new, highly efficient, and sustainable landmark buildings, refurbishing existing facilities, and creating vibrant new public spaces.

"Development will be delivered in phases. While the Victoria Park Site remains part of our long-term vision, our current priority is advancing plans for a state-of-the-art technology and laboratory building. This project will modernise existing facilities, aligning with local and national government priorities.

"This essential development will enable the University to provide world-class learning, teaching, and research facilities in critical STEM subject areas. The demand for these skills is widely recognised as vital to the local and regional economies, and the University is well positioned to help support and deliver this need.

"We are actively collaborating with the local council and planning teams to progress our plans for the new technology building."

Planning applications will need to be submitted and approved by Portsmouth City Council for the six priority projects. For more details of the University of Portsmouth’s estates mater plan visit www.port.ac.uk/about-us/our-ambition/building-our-future.