Gosport’s High Street and Stokes Road to continue to have special protection due to their historic significance

Gosport’s High Street and Stokes Road will continue to have special protection when it comes to development as the borough council aims to preserve their historic significance.

Some councillors feared historical buildings had been lost in the past through a lack of protection and a feeling that ‘modern is good, old is rubbish’.

To understand what makes the areas special, Gosport Borough Council, along with Historic England, launched independent reviews of the existing Gosport High Street and Stoke Road conservation areas to establish if they were still worthy.

It looked at green spaces, streets and alleys, building usage, heritage assets (non-listed and listed buildings), analysed street views and the different types of architecture from pre-18th, 19th, 20th and post-war 20th century.

The areas covered include Walpole Road and High Street (west, central and east); Bemister’s Lane; North Cross Street; North Street and Seahorse Walk.

Councillor Steven Hammond (Lib Dem, Bridgemary) said in terms of heritage buildings, he had heard it said that Gosport is second only to London.

The existing conservation boundaries were reviewed and there are now new documents which will guide the future management, maintenance and development of the respective areas.

Future development is not prevented but guided by conservation area appraisals and management plans as part of the planning decision-making process. The new document identifies areas that may benefit from development and suggestions for the borough council, stakeholders and property owners of buildings within the conservation area.

Councillors at the Gosport regulatory board meeting (March 27) were concerned that buildings had been lost during that period of non-designation.

Councillor Alan Scard (Con, Anglesey) said: “People thought, modern is good, old is rubbish and we got rid of things.”

Councillor Martin Pepper (Lib Dem, Peel Common) also welcomed the whole change in attitude of ‘now’ preserving the past.

The new, 2024 version of the documents for High Street and Stoke Road means that more important historic buildings, landscapes and settings are still protected. The council said it aims to help High Street with economic, social and cultural recovery in line with its designation as a High Streets Heritage Zone.

Conservation areas are defined as an “area of special architectural or historic interest, the character of which is desirable to preserve or enhance”.

Gosport’s High Street conservation area was originally drawn up in 1979 and extended in 1988 to ensure all future developments would ‘enhance or preserve’ the historical and architectural character of the area.

National conservation was introduced in 1967 but not adopted in Gosport until 1975 with the High Street adopted in 1978. A Royal Commission identified Gosport as one of four towns that had lost the highest proportion of its historic buildings.