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Case study example: Brownfield Project

Have your say on run-down sites in the city

Portsmouth was selected by the National Brownfield Strategy Team (NBFS), a body consisting of representatives of English Partnerships and the Department of Communities and Local Government, as one of 8 local authority pilot areas exploring how best to bring previously developed and derelict (‘Brownfield,’) land into more beneficial use, in order to improve and support the regeneration and sustainable development of the city.

The project has helped inform and influence English Partnerships, the government’s national regeneration agency, to develop a National Brownfield Strategy for England.  This means that local people and communities as well as the Council have had the opportunity to influence future government policy concerning Brownfield Site regeneration, helping the Local Authority bring ‘run-down’ sites back to life.  The project is funded solely by English Partnerships.

Watch a video of the Brownfield Project!

Please click on the Video of Brownfield Project under external links on the right hand side of this page to see a short video telling you more about the project, it’s successes and challenges.

Whats happened?

The first phase of the National Brownfield Pilot Project proved successful, with 1000 votes cast by the online and text-voting opportunities made available in this innovative project.

An event hosted by Channel 4’s ‘A Place in the Sun,’ presenter Amanda Lamb, was held at the Royal Marines Museum Eastney, also an example of a Brownfield site, in March 2007 as the pinnacle event in a programme of community involvement targeting the business community, which also included:

• Presentations, such as at the Business Panel Meeting, held at the Portsmouth Guildhall in March 2007 to approximately 80 businesses
• Mail shots e.g. via the Regeneration and Businesses survey to 5000 businesses in the city
• Cold calling conducted by the Chamber of Commerce to 150 businesses
• Articles in relevant publications and media publicity
• Leaflet drops in the 3 Regional Business Centres
• Presentations to other voluntary and community sector organisations such as neighbourhood forums

The results

The public prioritised the sites as follows, with 99% of the votes being cast online - (highest priority shown first):

1. South of Goldsmith Avenue
2. Fratton Industrial Estate
3. Ackworth Road Industrial Estate
4. Burrfields Road Industrial Estate
5. Airport East Industrial Estate
6. Farlington Industrial Estate
7. Airport West Industrial Estate
8. Quatremaine Road Industrial Estate

Feasibility studies will be conducted on the prioritised site(s) to be redeveloped, identifying any barriers to the future regeneration of these areas, which Portsmouth City Council will work to overcome. 

This will be conducted with partner agencies including English Partnerships, SEEDA (The South East England Development Agency) and the South East Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, as well as the site owners, to try to ensure sites are brought back into beneficial use.

An independent review and evaluation of the project is currently being undertaken by the University of Portsmouth.

Associated documents:

• REclaiming Land EMpowering COMmunities (RELEMCOM) - Case Study of Portsmouth  (6.57 MB)

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