Former Admiral's House in Old Portsmouth could be converted into offices
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The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), which manages the Ministry of Defence’s property estate, has applied for permission to change the use of the detached home in Pembroke Road which has been empty since the admiral post was redeployed in 2020.
It said the conversion, which will involve the demolition of the building’s ‘unsafe’ balcony and see the car park increased in size, would help manage housing it has in the area.
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Hide AdThe house in Pembroke Close was built in 1968 following the demolition of the Victoria Barracks as part of the Pembroke Park estate. Until 2020, it served as an official residence for a senior Royal Navy Admiral.
‘Over time, the need and position for an admiral has been made surplus to requirements,’ a statement by VIVO Defence Services submitted with the application says. ‘The proposal is basically to alter internally a detached four-bedroom 1970s dwelling that has substantial grounds.’
The offices would be used to house Defence Infrastructure Organisation staff to oversee the management and upkeep of military housing nearby with the MOD owning the houses either side of Chatham Drive and others nearby.
It said the presence of this office would help ensure the houses are occupied as much as possible and help the organisation ‘operate more efficiently with their services’
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‘The offices would be a welcome necessity for the DIO to run its business economically, potentially adding essential revenue for maintenance of the surrounding properties,’ the statement adds. ‘The proposals will maintain the use of the property and will enhance the use of the plot.’
The application says the building would house five full-time members of staff with 13 parking spaces created in its grounds. A decision on whether to approve the proposals will be made by council planning officers in the coming weeks.