More than £5m to be spent on Gosport bus station - and work could begin next year

Plans have been in motion since 2012 to rebuild the station from the ground up, creating a ‘landmark’ waterfront location including retail, leisure, and residential units.

Now, the plans have taken a step forward thanks to Portsmouth City Council and Gosport Borough Council securing a £56 million investment from central government’s Transforming Cities Fund.

More than £5 million of this funding will go towards the plan to redevelop the bus station and taxi rank, opening up the site for future regeneration, according to Gosport Borough Council leader Mark Hook.

Cllr Hook said: ‘We would be adding a little bit towards, so it would be in excess of £5 million.

‘We would be looking to put the new bus interchange where the taxi ranks are.

‘We’ve been patiently waiting for funding and we can now start moving on to the first phase of moving the bus interchange and that gives us the entire bus station site for redevelopment in the future.’

He added: ‘I would like to think we would be in a position early next year to have planning permissions in place.

‘We would be looking to start the work as soon as we have the planning permission in place.’

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage said the public transport site was ‘in desperate need’ of redevelopment.

‘I know that this will be welcome news for many local residents who want to see our local transport networks improved.

‘It is fantastic to see over £55 million being invested in our local region.’

SEE ALSO: Portsmouth coronavirus testing site is coming to Cosham from planned centre at Southampton, say councillors

Improvements provided by the rest of the funding will include better pedestrian access through Portsmouth city centre, and cycle routes along Fratton Road and Goldsmith Avenue.

It comes after the Department for Transport (DfT) awarded Portsmouth City Council and Gosport Borough Council £4m from the fund last year.

A total of £2.6m was spent on improving three junctions in Portsmouth, and real time information displays at bus stops across Portsmouth, Havant and Waterlooville.

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