Groundwork in Gosport

Groundwork is well positioned strategically in Gosport, with the Executive Director sitting on the Local Strategic Partnership, and chairing the Gosport Regeneration Action Forum.

Outlined below are some examples of projects in Gosport.

BIG Green Commuter Challenge
Cycle Storage at the Ferry Terminal
Stanley Park Enhancement Project
Lee-on-the-Solent Residents' Association
HMS Daedalus Community Consultation
Young People Friendly Neighbourhoods

We're taking part are you?

Groundwork Solent are proud to be a part of 2011 BIG Green Commuter Challenge. The challenge is being taken up by all staff to reduce their single car user commute.

Staff have been able to use the newly launched TravelGosport website. The site is a one stop guide to travelling in Gosport with information on buses, ferry, walking, cycling and car sharing. At a glance you can see local timetables, access cycle maps and use the route planner to find the most convenient way to travel.

Cycle Storage at Gosport Ferry Terminal

Current cycle storage by Gosport Ferry Groundwork Solent spent some time in March 2010 asking users of the Gosport Ferry their opinion on the current cycle storage.

Groundwork Solent spoke to over 400 people, including cyclists, non cyclists and motorcyclists. The results of these surveys are showed that most people were in favour of having extra parking facilities for bicycles.

During Spring 2011 works were carried out to increase the lockable storage areas. For the first time there are motorbike rails, allowing 15 motorbikes to be stored securely. There is now space for over 50 additional bicycles to be locked away, in areas covered by the CCTV.

As part of the works the area under the tree has been resurfaced to make maintenance easier, improving the look of the whole area.

For further updates on this project, please check back onto our website.

Stanley Park Enhancement Project

During August 2009 Groundwork Solent ran consultation events, on behalf of Gosport Borough Council, regarding a potential enhancement project of Stanley Park.

The Friends of Stanley Park group held their first meeting at the end of February. The group is being supported by the Friends of Stokes Bay and will provide a steering role to the council as they progress with the funding bid for the project.

Photo - view of Stanley Park The ideas for enhancement included clearing out the undergrowth, restoring the Pinetum and Italinate garden designed by Sir Joseph Paxton, as well as making the heritage of the pet cemetery and World War II pill box more accessible by improving the pathways, signage and linking the park and Stokes Bay. Part of the consultation also allowed park users to give their opinions on other aspects, such as seating and lighting.

A report detailing the results of the consultation events has now been submitted to Gosport Borough Council. Groundwork Solent would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in the consultation. Click here to view a report of the designs based on the results of the consultation.

If you would like to join the Friends of Stanley Park, please send your contact details to Katie Pereira, catherine.pereira@groundwork.org.uk or 023 9261 7020 these will be forwarded to the Chair of the group.

Lee-on-the-Solent Residents' Association

Daedalus and Manor Way Open Space Survey

During earlier phases of consultation many local people wanted accessible open space on the field in Manor Way and on the Daedalus site. Lee on the Solent Residents Association ran a survey at the end of 2009 and have now put the results on their website: www.losra.org.uk

HMS Daedalus Community Consultation

Photo : Members of the public at the recent Daedalus Exhibition The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has acquired an 82.4 hectare area of land at the former HMS Daedalus airfield in Gosport, Hampshire, with the vision of creating a vibrant, mixed-use community development that will provide huge benefits to existing residents and businesses. The Daedalus site is at a strategic location on the Gosport peninsula and is one of the largest brownfield sites available for regeneration in the Solent area, providing a significant opportunity to promote economic prosperity, encourage investment and create job opportunities.

SEEDA has appointed a team of specialist advisors to assist in the preparation and delivery of a masterplan for the site. Groundwork Solent was appointed in January 2007 to facilitate a high quality, carefully planned programme of consultation, engaging with residents, community groups, schools and businesses.

Groundwork Solent is leading the consortium of organisations delivering the community consultation, which includes Groundwork UK South East region (for GIS mapping) and Civic Regeneration Ltd (for business consultation).

Photo : Local resident discussing concepts with Groundwork staff This first phase of the community consultation aimed to gather local feelings and perceptions towards the development of the site on a broad range of topics. A variety of tools were used to gather this information including a freepost questionnaire, on line questionnaire, street surveys, as well as consulting with local community groups, businesses and working with schools to gather the views of young people. The information collated has been used to inform further study and investigation in a series of community and strategic workshops held as part of Phase 2 of the consultation. Approximately 500 local residents also attended a Drop in Event in July 2007 where they were able to discuss their concerns and aspirations for the development of the site. From the first two phases of consultation, the master planners, Terrance O’Rourke, have prepared some initial design options. As part of phase 3, these designs were presented to the public in a special two day exhibition in Lee-on-Solent with over 800 people in attendance.

In March 2011 Groundwork hosted a successful exhibition giving members of the public a further opportunity to see the latest proposals for the redevelopment of Daedalus. Over 450 people attended the exhibition at St Faiths Church in Lee and Crofton Community Centre. Two outline planning applications for the site have now been submitted by SEEDA to Gosport and Fareham Borough Councils. Once registered residents will have a further opportunity to comment on the proposals.

With the benefit of these outline planning permissions SEEDA will be able to work with existing tenants and new businesses to agree detailed plans for individual phases or development plots to help realise the full economic potential of the Daedalus site. There are several expressions of interest from marine and aviation businesses about occupying existing buildings and constructing new ones. It is expected that Daedalus will be developed in phases, probably over a 10 to 15 year period which is not unusual for a site of this size and scale.

Copies of all the display boards along with all the other supporting information for the planning applications have been made available on the SEEDA Daedalus website. The freephone number 0800 077 8439 and email address daedalus-project@seeda.co.uk are still available for enquiries.

For more information on the project, please visit the Daedalus website

Young People Friendly Neighbourhoods

Young Person involved in neighbourhood audit Groundwork Solent is working with the young people of Rowner to help identify what could be done to make their neighbourhoods more friendly and inviting. As part of this, the young people perform a neighbourhood audit and are encouraged to look at ways of improving personal safety, reducing opportunities for anti-social behaviour or bullying and creating a neighbourhood with a sense of community. As a result of the first audit, the young people involved were able to produce mind maps of their likes and dislikes of the area in which they live, and think of ways their area could be improved. Members of the project are also planning another neighbourhood audit in conjuction with the police and fire service.