Bid for 16 homes in Gosport 'gated community' at former defence research site

Gosport-based developer Gunboat No 1 Ltd hopes to build 16 detached homes at the former dive testing site owned by QinetiQ off Fort Road, Alverstoke.

The ‘gated community’ would see some existing buildings - including one already including a test swimming pool used by defence scientists - into homes for high-fliers.

Plans have been submitted to Gosport Borough Council but have not been publicly released yet as details are being confirmed by the developer.

Ian Knight, from the firm, said some individuals are already showing interest in the exclusive properties.

He told The News: ‘We’re looking to make a gated community but one that really has an amazing mix of industrial buildings from between the wars, from the Cold War era and taking them into being very desirable high-specification, high-end units. The new buildings will also be in that similar vein.

‘We’re hoping the people of Crescent Road, Fort Road and the lower Alverstoke community will support this scheme as in a way this is only something beneficial.’

Mr Knight said the current ‘dangerous’ Fort Road will be made more bike and pedestrian friendly as the site would be brought back further from the narrow road.

Parts of the site would be used to provide offset nitrate pollution in the Solent’s waters, an issue currently blocking thousands of homes from being built.

Mr Knight hopes the rewilding of a section of the land will allow to not only offset the 16 homes, but allow for further developments elsewhere in Gosport.

Currently the site is owned by defence giant QinetiQ and has permission for industrial use.

Goats were experimented on in a hyperbaric chamber by researchers examining possible effects on submariners. Between 2000 and 2006 some 400 experiments were carried out on goats by experts researching the bends.

As reported in The News in 2014, Councillor Mark Hook, borough council leader, called for the site to be used for £1m-plus homes for ‘captains of industry’.

Today he said: ‘It’s a sensitive site and there are lots of issues that need to be considered - ecological as well as scheduled ancient monuments and on a flood plain, it would be a very difficult site to develop out.’

People can comment on the plans when they are validated at publicaccess.gosport.gov.uk/online-applications by searching Fort Road.