Tipner East: 200 new homes near Portsmouth's demolished greyhound stadium set for approval

Portsmouth City Council planning officers said the construction of 221 ‘much-needed’ homes – almost a third of which would be affordable – on land north of Stamshaw Junior School was welcome along with it improving the appearance of the site.

The Bellway Homes Ltd and Homes England planning application was submitted in 2021 and is the latest attempt to redevelop the land in Tipner, which includes the now-demolished greyhound stadium. It was included in the council’s 2010 Local Plan and several applications have since been submitted but none have progressed.

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However, Homes England, the government body that helps fund the construction of new affordable housing across the country, has bought parts of the site and brought in Bellway Homes to lead the development.

The application has been increased in density over the two years since the original 203-home scheme was proposed with the latest drawings only submitted last month. Most of the housing is flats.

In a statement, the developer said the scheme was an important part of the wider aim of redeveloping land in Tipner.

‘Whilst in the fullness of time the site may prove less prominent than neighbouring areas, it is nevertheless significant in providing the first phase in the redevelopment, whilst also serving as a distinct transition between the existing development to the south and future plans to the north and west,’ it said.

Dozens of people have objected to the application, while a petition co-ordinated by Tipner Lane resident Tracey Lewis opposing the plans was signed by 378 people.

She said the proposed access routes to the estate were unsuitable and that the development would ‘completely blight the area’ for people living nearby.

‘Tipner Lane is not a suitable access point to this new development,’ she said. ‘At present, most points on Tipner Lane and Walker Road can only accommodate traffic in one direction due to cars parked both sides.

‘I believe using Tipner Lane as an access road to this new development will also push residents trying to avoid traffic hold-ups in Tipner Lane into other roads in Stamshaw and Tipner which in turn will create rat runs.

‘This access road should not be granted as the increase in traffic and pollution, especially past a school, is totally unacceptable.’

No objection to the arrangement was made by council highways nor by National Highways as long as mitigation measures were introduced.

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In their report recommending planning permission be granted, council planning officers said there had been ‘extensive discussions’ on these matters and said outstanding matters would be enforced through conditions of any approval.

‘This is a complex application that if implemented would take a significant period of time to complete,’ the report said. ‘However, there are significant planning benefits in redeveloping this vacant site.’

The committee will consider the application when it meets on Wednesday (May 31).