New bid to turn Cosham Royal British Legion building into flats

Previous schemes presented by Lawish One Limited faced extended delays and challenges within the Portsmouth City Council’s planning committee, particularly about securing affordable housing. Due to a pending legal agreement associated with the earlier application, Lawish has now put forward plans for nine two-and-a-half-storey terraced houses, as an alternative to the previously approved 27-flat project.

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The previous scheme attracted criticism from councillors and neighbours who raised concerns over parking provision and the visual impact of the four-storey block. Commenting on the current application, the council’s housing enabling officer noted that nine homes “is below the threshold of 10 units or more to trigger the S106 affordable housing provision”.

The development, if approved, will provide three-bedroom homes along with gardens and 12 parking spaces. Planning documents state the proposal will facilitate ‘much needed’ housing in a ‘sustainable location’. They add that the decreased amount of homes was driven by the need to conserve neighbouring amenity, respect the character of the local area, sufficient vehicle access and viability.

Six units would be sited to front Herne Road with the remaining three positioned on Sixth Avenue. Each unit will boast an open kitchen/living space on the ground floor with a single bedroom and study on the first floor and two bedrooms on the second floor. So far the plans has received no comments from members of the public which can be viewed here.