Council invites residents to help decide the future of tower block site
The views of local residents will be at the heart of the redevelopment of two tower blocks, say Portsmouth City Council.
Horatia and Leamington House, two 1960s tower blocks in Somerstown, were declared unsafe after work to remove cladding from their exteriors revealed weakness and damage in the concrete. Residents were rehoused by the council in 2018 and 2019.
To build on the suggestions made by local residents, two Horatia and Leamington Community Panel events will take place this month to gather feedback on the new developments from local people, including former residents of the blocks, schools and businesses.
Councillor Darren Sanders, cabinet member for housing and preventing homelessness, said the panel will ‘put local people at the heart of the decisions’ on what will replace the tower blocks.
He said: ‘We’ve had plenty of enquiries so far from local residents and also from people who used to live in the tower blocks, and also from local businesses as well and that is hugely helpful.’
Inside a leaflet which was delivered to 1,500 homes last week, the council set out the main objectives of the new developments with the principles to build new homes that are of environmental, social and financial value.
Cllr Saunders added: ‘This is a really good opportunity to make a historic part of the city even better and attract people do it, and to do that, that means involving local people and putting them at the heart of what we do and that’s something I am looking forward to working with others to achieve.’
Work to begin deconstructing the towers will start between April and May and is expected to take 12 months to complete and will cost the council up to £10m.
