Employment Land Forecasting, Portsmouth City Council

Client: Portsmouth City Council
Location: Portsmouth
Discipline(s):

Portsmouth City Council commissioned the Economic Planning team at GL Hearn to carry out a comprehensive review of their employment land needs over the plan period from 2019-36. Working from strategic documents provided by PCC, our work provided the basis for policy development relating to the provision of B1, B2 and B8 land uses.

We delivered an analysis of the Portsmouth office market in both the city centre and Lakeside; review of loss of B1 floorspace due to permitted development and the construction of student housing; review of future developments along the riverfront that would capitalise on Portsmouth’s strategic and maritime plan, and consideration of a suitable balance between offices in the city centre and out of town business parks such as Lakeside.

Outcome

GL Hearn advised on the amount of land needed over the plan period to guide Local Plan decision making. Critically, the analysis articulated the position of Portsmouth within the context of the Solent, the maritime sector, international trade and world-class research so as to reveal important strategic opportunities.

The report set out, through a rigorous critical analysis, the right use and quantum of office need in various parts of Portsmouth.

The team were also able to deliver the work within a tight time frame to meet the Council’s Local Plan review programme.