Plans for 58 extra homes on St James' Hospital site set to be approved

The proposal, submitted to Portsmouth City Council by Mission Town Planning Ltd on behalf of Vistry Southern, includes a mix of houses and flats, as well as associated landscaping, parking, and infrastructure.

The 1.98-hectare site, located on Locksway Road in the Milton area of Portsmouth, was previously part of the historic Grade II listed St James' Hospital and later the Harbour School, which was demolished in the 1960s. The land is currently undeveloped, with remnants of the school’s foundations and an open-air car park.

The proposed development features a mix of two-storey detached, semi-detached, and terraced houses, along with two flats. The breakdown includes 19 two-bedroom homes, 35 three-bedroom homes, and four four-bedroom homes. Of the total 58 units, 18 (31 per cent) are designated as affordable housing.

The layout centres around a public open space called ‘Orchard Park,’ designed to serve as a community focal point. The scheme also includes secondary roads and mews leading to this green space, as well as dedicated areas for cycling and refuse storage. The development would also provide 87 parking spaces for motorists.

It sits within the grounds of the old hospital - where more than 200 other homes are currently being built as part of separate plans - and the proposed homes will be a mix of private ownership, shared ownership, and affordable rent.

While the plans aim to provide much-needed housing, they have drawn objections from some local residents. Concerns raised include potential overlooking and loss of privacy, reduced outlook, loss of trees, and negative impacts on local ecology and biodiversity.

One comment read: “I have been following the gradual decimation of wildlife in Milton since 2016; when I became involved in the campaign to stop developers from carving up St. James's. It was easy to predict that every last part of the grounds would be turned into a huge housing estate with scant regard for the loss of biodiversity.”

Another comment read: “The impact on Locksway Rd and other roads surrounding this site will make life yet more intolerable. The city already has too many vehicles creating pollution and congestion, harming the health of all residents.”

Council officers have recommended approving the application subject to 30 conditions. The decision will be made in a planning committee meeting next week (5/2/2025).

Residents can view the application using the planning reference 24/01117/FUL.