Victory for Portsmouth residents as council approves construction of temporary road for Tipner lorries

Residents in Stamshaw and Tipner have spent years campaigning to get lorries heading to commercial land diverted away from their roads.

Obstacles have been thrown up in the way – such as whether an EU environmental impact study was needed and if the route would only be for the benefit of private landowners.

Now Portsmouth City Council has given permission for the road – which would run parallel to the M275 – to be built and used until the wider Tipner area is regenerated.

That’s because the land may then be needed as part of the plan to build thousands of new homes and create employment space.

Residents say it’s a huge relief the council has listened to their concerns.

It’s hoped Tipner west landowner John Henry Pounds – who wants to build the road – will start work before more development comes in and traffic gets worse.

Housing developer Radian is seeking to start work on the first wave of new homes in the area this spring.

Twyford Avenue resident John Cass said: ‘The battle has been won, at long last.

‘But this is due to the fact that we, the residents, put pressure on the council.

‘It should have happened a long time ago.

‘Work will start happening in the spring which will bring in more traffic.

‘This road won’t come up overnight, it’s something that could take two to three months to do.’

Portsmouth Tory planning boss Luke Stubbs said: ‘I’m pleased we have been able to find a potential solution to the traffic problems and I hope other landowners will be supportive of the proposal.

‘The potential route could also be very useful in helping regenerate the area by giving developers access while minimising the impact on residents.

‘There have been a lot of elements to take into consideration but now I hope we are in a position where all the organisations involved can work together to move their plans forward and help us create an impressive new gateway to Portsmouth.’

Planning permission is in place for nearly 600 homes in Tipner on the east of the M275, while work is also under way to draw up a masterplan to regenerate the land on the western side of the motorway.

Along with land on Horsea Island, Tipner could help eventually provide 2,370 new homes and more than 3,700 jobs.

The government has already given the council £48.75m to prepare land for development.

Ownership of Tipner firing range and land on Horsea Island is also being transferred from the Ministry of Defence to the council.