5 June 2009 - Update on Rowner Renewal

Rowner residents, community groups and stakeholders have keenly participated in the detailed public consultation on the Rowner Renewal Project for over 18 months to help devise a MasterPlan for the estate. The £145 million eight year regeneration project will replace the existing properties with homes built to the Homes and Communities Agency’s (HCA) standards of high quality and sustainable housing. The project is expected to complete in 2017.

The MasterPlan obtained outline planning permission at the end of April from Gosport Borough Council. As well as providing the existing residents with an improved environment, the regeneration scheme will also deliver 37% affordable housing.

Many residents have now sold their homes to Portsmouth Housing Association following market valuations. Some have chosen to move out of the area permanently whilst others are hoping to return once the new homes are available. Residents will receive HomeLoss and Disturbance payments in line with the criteria set by the Government.

Using over £4 million funding from the HCA, £3 million from Partnership for Urban South Hampshire and their own financial resources, Portsmouth Housing Association now owns over half the properties within the regeneration area.  It owns 296 units out of a total of 506 i.e. 58% overall. (Of these 102 are in the precinct - 34% of this area, and 194 in the “Court zone” 95% of this area). Currently 213 of the Portsmouth Housing owned units are vacant in readiness for Phase One build programme.

Phase One will be concentrated in the Court zone at the southern end of Howe Road and possibly on some open space at the top of the affected area, around the footbridge area of Rambler’s Drive.

Start on site for Phase One is scheduled for Autumn this year. A detailed planning application for around 200 homes will be submitted to Gosport Borough Council in July and the exhibition of this including drawings of how the homes will look and the types that will be available will be shown to residents in Rowner in August.

A spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said:

“The detailed planning application for Phase One is due to be submitted late July and an exhibition, where the local community will be able to view details of the designs and elevations, is planned to take place in August.

“With regards to pricing, Taylor Wimpey expects to begin selling private homes from next year and therefore it is too early to assess where the market will be at that time. However, when prices are set they will be in line with the local market and mortgage valuation levels for new homes in the area.”

In line with this statement, the rents for the new properties cannot be finally set until design and values are agreed but will be in line with Homes & Communities Agency requirements and recommendations.

The start on site for Phase 2, which is the retail development area, will be dependant on obtaining vacant possession but negotiations are proceeding well. CPO powers are available to the Partnership but it is hoped that these will not be necessary.

The purchase of the freehold will be undertaken in due course and at that time, as part of the process the management arrangements of this part of the estate will be reviewed.  A change in the managing agent, if contemplated, will require a new contract and consultation will be made with all the remaining residents.

Hazel Warwick, Spokesperson for the Rowner Renewal Partnership said:

“The Partnership is currently working hard at devising the detailed plans for Phase One and looks forward to meeting as many residents as possible at the Rowner Carnival on 11 July.

“We also look forward to welcoming them to the exhibition of the detailed plans for Phase One in August where they will be able to see what the houses will look like and the types available.

“Portsmouth Housing Association is still meeting with many residents and now has an office based in the Nimrod Community Centre where residents can drop in to ask any questions they may have. Our telephone enquiry line is also still available on 08450 343317.”