9 January 2009 - New Year Cheers for Rowner

Picture Caption: The Rowner Renewal Team celebrate the formal planning application submission with local residents and Deputy Leader of Gosport Borough Council, Cllr Peter Chegwyn.

In the photograph: Hazel Warwick, Spokesperson for the Partnership hands the computer disc to Deputy Leader of Gosport Borough Council, Cllr Peter Chegwyn

After more than fifteen months of public consultation, changes and commercial negotiations, Rowner’s £140 million regeneration scheme has been submitted for formal planning with Gosport Borough Council.

The application includes a large number of detailed reports and plans which, once registered, can be viewed shortly by accessing the council’s website www.gosport.gov.uk . Under council guidelines, it is now a 13 week wait for the Partnership and its architects, John Thompson and Partners to see if the application is passed by the council’s planning department.

Deputy Leader of Gosport Borough Council, Cllr Peter Chegwyn was there in person to receive the planning application from the Rowner Renewal Project Team Delighted residents, including children, were also present to witness this historic occasion.

If all goes smoothly, demolition and building work is expected to start in Phase One near Howe Road in mid-2009 The Masterplan has been divided into eight building phases with the last one expected to complete in 2016

The vision of the Partnership is to regenerate the Rowner area by providing high quality, environmentally sustainable homes and facilities It will continue to work closely with local residents and community groups to deliver new homes, job opportunities and community benefits.

Hazel Warwick, Spokesperson for the Partnership said:

“We were delighted to hand the planning application submission on computer disc to the Deputy Leader of Gosport Borough Council It is a momentous occasion and is the culmination of well over a year’s devoted consultation with residents, stakeholders and community groups We are proud of our Masterplan which will completely regenerate the area for the benefit of many generations to come I would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their support and commitment throughout this project and look forward to the New Rowner.”

On accepting the disc to take back to the planning department, Councillor Peter Chegwyn, Deputy Leader of Gosport Borough Council said:

“I am delighted to accept the formal planning application, which has long been awaited Our planning department will be reviewing all aspects of the details and this is expected to take 13 weeks The Rowner Renewal Partnership has consulted well with the local community and stakeholders and we hope that the Masterplan will be well accepted I, like many others, are looking forward to the new Rowner and the continued support of the local community.”

Other members of the Rowner Renewal Partnership celebrated the planning application submission:

Kevin Bourner, who is leading the project on behalf of the government’s new Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), said:

 “The submission of the planning application is a critical stage in all major regeneration projects. This is an exciting stage in the regeneration of Rowner and I am delighted that the HCA, and previously English Partnerships, has been able to play an instrumental role in progressing the project and providing funding to make the project possible.

 “The HCA has invested over £3 million in Rowner so far to assist with purchasing properties and we will invest a further £4 million over the next two years. We will then continue to fund the project by providing additional investment to subsidise the provision of the new affordable homes planned for the site.

“Finally I would like to give a special note of thanks to the residents of Rowner for the commitment, energy and enthusiasm they have shown throughout the consultation programme.”

Councillor Ken Thornber, the Leader of Hampshire County Council reflected:

“I am very pleased that the proposals have reached this important milestone, and I would particularly like to pay tribute to the partners for their vision and hard work in moving forward these plans in such difficult economic times.”

Nigel Holland, spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey UK Ltd said:

“The submission of the formal planning application is the culmination of over a year of hard work by a great many people who have provided an input into this vision for a renewed Rowner. All of us in the Partnership have been delighted with the feedback we have received through the consultation process and are now looking forward to the opportunity of making this vision a reality”.

In addition to the relentless years of determination, hard work and dedication of the five members of the Rowner Renewal Partnership, the project recently received an important £2 million funding boost from The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH)Chairman of PUSH, Councillor Seán Woodward, added:

 “The Partnership for Urban South Hampshire is very pleased that this planning application has now been submitted and is proud to have been able to support the project in this way. We look forward, along with many other partners in the region, to seeing a rejuvenated Rowner.”