St James' Hospital: Public inquiry over 200 homes plan for Portsmouth site begins this week

A planning inspector has been appointed to consider the appeal made by developer PJ Livesey against Portsmouth City Council for delays in reaching a decision on its application.

The inquiry will begin formally on Tuesday (June 27) morning, although a site visit was due to take place on Monday (June 26) and run until next Tuesday (July 4).

Since the appeal was made last summer, the council’s planning committee agreed in principle that planning permission would have been refused with the scheme having significant opposition from people living in the area and from councillors.

The hearing, which will take place at the Guildhall, was originally scheduled for April but it was delayed to allow Natural England to carry out a survey on the effect of the use of Milton Common on Brent geese.

In the months after it finishes, the inspector will make a decision on the application.

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PJ Livesey is hoping to win approval to build 200 homes on the hospital site, much of which have been deemed as outdated and no longer suitable for NHS services.

The proposal has been supported by the NHS which said maintenance of the site was costing it more than £1.5m a year.

The planning application was submitted in early 2020 but faced several years of delays before a decision was reached by the committee in December, backing the recommendation of council planning officers.

Speaking after the decision was made, Milton ward councillor Gerald Vernon-Jackson confirmed ‘the fight’ against the development would continue to the inquiry.

‘I am delighted that the planning committee shared the concerns of local councillors and the Milton neighbourhood planning forum and added the extra reasons for refusal,’ he said.

This decision on the £55m scheme, is not final as the appeal for non-determination had already started and could be overturned.

The inquiry will start at 10am with both sides making opening statements.

Witnesses will be called over the following days to discuss controversial elements of the proposals, including the loss of trees and transport. Third parties will be given time on Friday morning to raise points around the plans.

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Closing submissions will be made on the final day of the inquiry which will be held remotely rather than at the Guildhall.