The Portsmouth Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss several planning applications, including the demolition and reconstruction of Springfield School and several applications relating to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). The committee will also discuss the construction of a fence at 5 Poplar Walk.

Springfield School Redevelopment

The committee will be considering application 25/00447/FUL for the demolition of existing and construction of school with associated parking, access and landscaping at Springfield School, Central Road. According to the report pack, the proposal involves demolishing the current eight buildings and replacing them with a single, three-storey building. The new school building is proposed to be located on the existing playing field, with a new playing field created where the current buildings are. The main entrance would also be moved from Central Road to Grove Road.

The report pack identifies several key issues for consideration:

• Principle of development
• Character and appearance
• Impact on neighbouring living conditions
• Highway safety
• Loss/re-location of existing playing fields
• Landscaping and trees
• Flooding and drainage
• Biodiversity Net Gain¹
• Sustainability
• Planning Obligations/CIL²

The planning document notes that the school has raised concerns about safety due to the openness of the site along the boundaries. The proposed redevelopment aims to address these concerns by creating a more secure environment. The new school building will be an L-shaped building, with the main elevation and entrance facing south onto Grove Road. The report pack states that:

The positioning of the building to the south of the site has allowed for the building elevation to form the majority of the primary secure line for the school, with additional 1.8m high secure fencing where required.

The report pack notes that the proposed sports facilities will include a MUGA³ with six netball courts, and a 400m racetrack with six lanes. The report pack also notes that the new facilities will be available for community hire, including the main sports hall, changing facilities, activity studio, fitness room and external MUGA area.

The Highways Team has not objected to the proposal, subject to conditions. Sport England has also not objected, stating that the application meets exception 4 of the Sports England Playing Fields Policy and accords with Paragraph 104 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

20 objections to the scheme have been received. Concerns include building in a flood zone, increased traffic, water run-off, loss of parking, and noise and air pollution during construction.

Havant Road HMO Applications

The committee will also be considering three separate applications for HMOs on Havant Road:

• 246 Havant Road (25/00435/FUL): A proposal for the change of use of part ground floor and upper floor, from commercial (Class E) to 8-bed/8-person house in multiple occupation (sui generis) to include retention of ground floor commercial unit (Class E), installation of new shopfront including residential and commercial access doors, construction of mansard roof extension, rear terrace at ground floor level, and associated bicycle and refuse storage .
• 252 Havant Road (25/00705/FUL): A proposal for the change of use of part ground floor (Class E) and upper floor (Class C3) to 9 bedroom/ 9 person (house of multiple occupation (Sui Generis); external alterations to include construction of mansard roof and single storey rear extension.
• 7 Sandringham Road (25/00558/FUL): A proposal for a change of use of small HMO (C4) 6 occupants to allow occupation as an HMO with 7 occupants.

These applications have all been brought to the committee due to the number of objections received.

Key issues identified in the report pack for the Havant Road applications include:

• Principle of development
• The standard of accommodation
• Character and appearance
• Impact on living conditions
• Highways and parking
• Waste management
• Impact on Solent Protection Areas
• Biodiversity Net Gain
• Community Infrastructure Levy
• Human rights
• Any other matters raised in the representations

The report pack notes that all three sites are located within an area designated for local shops and services, and that the proposals include the retention of a commercial unit at ground floor level. The report pack also notes that the Highways Team has raised no objection to any of the applications.

Representations received object to the schemes on the grounds of existing HMOs in the area, the number of licensed premises, overdevelopment, impact on parking, excessive population density, impact on local services, loss of privacy, increased noise and the design of the mansard roofs.

The report pack notes that Policy PCS20 of the Portsmouth Plan states that applications for change of use to a HMO will only be permitted where the community is not already imbalanced by a concentration of such uses. The Houses in Multiple Occupation SPD states that a community will be considered to be imbalanced where more than 10% of residential properties within the area surrounding the application site (within a 50m radius) are already in HMO use.

Widley Road HMO Application

The committee will also be considering application 25/00518/FUL for a change of use from dwellinghouse (Class C3) to purposes falling within dwellinghouse (Class C3) or house in multiple occupation (Class C4) at 70 Widley Road. This application has been brought to committee because of 8 representations objecting to the proposals.

The report pack states that the proposal would allow the applicant to use the property flexibly as either a C4 HMO or a C3 dwellinghouse for a period of up to 10 years.

Key issues identified in the report pack include:

• The principle of development;
• The standard of accommodation;
• Impact on neighbouring living conditions;
• Highways and Parking;
• Waste;
• Impact upon the Solent Protection Areas;
• Any other matters raised; and
• Human Rights.

The report pack notes that the Highways Team has raised no objection to the application.

Representations received object to the scheme on the grounds of parking and traffic, residential amenity and community character, overconcentration of HMOs, infrastructure and services, design and space standards, environmental and health concerns, and policy and governance issues.

Longbridge House HMO Application

The committee will also be considering application 25/00693/FUL for a change of use from house in multiple occupation (Class C4) to purposes falling within Class C4 (house in multiple occupation) or Class C3 (dwelling house) at 18 Longbridge House, Meriden Road. This application has been brought to committee because of receiving 8 adverse representations based on material planning considerations, and because the site owner is the City Council.

The report pack states that the proposal would allow the applicant to use the property flexibly as either a C4 HMO or a C3 dwellinghouse for a period of up to 10 years.

Key issues identified in the report pack include:

• The principle of development;
• The standard of accommodation;
• Impact on neighbouring living conditions;
• Highways and Parking;
• Waste;
• Impact upon the Solent Protection Areas;
• Any other matters raised; and
• Human Rights.

The report pack notes that the Highways Team has raised no objection to the application.

Representations received object to the scheme on the grounds of excessive HMO growth, loss of family homes, parking crisis, infrastructure strain, environmental/amenity impacts, planning policy issues, negative impact of HMO developers, construction/living conditions, and procedural/enforcement concerns.

Poplar Walk Fence Construction

Finally, the committee will be considering application 25/00905/HOU for the construction of 2m high fence at 5 Poplar Walk. This application has been brought to committee because the applicant is an employee of Portsmouth City Council.

Key issues identified in the report pack include:

• Character and appearance
• Impact on neighbouring living conditions
• Human Rights

No representations have been received in respect of the proposals.