The Rowner Renewal Project

The Rowner Renewal Project is the proposed £140 million regeneration scheme for Rowner . The redevelopment of the area of Rowner known as the Precinct (which is the complex of housing, shops, other buildings and car parking adjacent to Nimrod Drive and Grange Road) and the areas of housing south of the Precinct adjoining Grange Road. It will include new housing, retail and community facilities.

Click the image above to see the Rowner Renewal phase plan

The open spaces will be built on first to enable re-housing to begin.
The aim of the Partnership is that, subject to approval under Gosport Housing Register Policy, those who want to stay on the estate are able to do so; those who do not will be offered re-housing elsewhere in the Borough and owner occupiers can transfer their equity to a new home on the estate, if they wish.

The aim of the Project is to provide a long term solution by creating the kind of environment that people want to live in. There will be better use of private and public space and better security by design for the area. Rowner will be a safer, more attractive environment with improved transport and better access to new jobs. It will provide an environment better suited to the needs of all sections of the community.

It will build on the successes of SRB programme and harness the existing community engagement for the Project. The project will also act as a catalyst for the continuing regeneration of Rowner and Gosport.

In order to cost the Project it has been necessary to make some assumptions about the number of homes that will be demolished and their replacement with a mix of different tenures including private home ownership, shared home ownership and homes for affordable rent. These assumptions are outlined below. However, these remain assumptions and are subject to the results of the public consultation.

• Number of residential units proposed – maximum 750
• Number of residential units to be demolished – 501
• Affordable homes – 30% (rent and shared ownership) 252
• Provision of a district centre, incorporating retail units and a community square large enough to accommodate the Carnival and other community events.

The residential units will all be built to English Partnership construction standards. These exceed those usually asked for under Building Regulations or for affordable homes by the Housing Corporation/Registered Social Landlords.

The Rowner Renewal Project represents an opportunity to change for the better the quality of life of the Rowner estate community. Residents are currently forced to live in high rise buildings with no lifts, insufficient heating or insulation and poor fire precautions in what is considered to be one of the worst estate in South East England

There will be those associated with the Estate who do not feel that this is the best solution but this Project offers a long term sustainable future for the Rowner estate. There are challenges associated with any major regeneration project but the greater risk is that failure to grasp the opportunity will condemn 301 families to continue living within the poor environment currently offered by Rowner Precinct for many more years.

At the heart of this regeneration proposal is the Rowner Precinct, which contains 301 properties and various business units all in private ownership. For the Rowner estate to be successfully regenerated for the long term, the Precinct must be acquired either by agreement or as a final measure by compulsory purchase and the buildings demolished.

It is not possible to undertake a redevelopment Project of this magnitude involving fragmented land ownership and a variety of different interests in land, without the security of compulsory purchase powers. It is always hoped that these powers would not be needed and negotiation with all parties will be carried out. However, it is not feasible to allow any individual to delay or halt the Project for individual gain, and consequently Gosport Borough Council will be able to exercise its compulsory purchase powers under the Town & Country Planning Acts to secure the land/properties necessary to enable this Project to be completed