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Woolston Riverside given green light
4:56pm Monday 18th August 2008
By Matt Smith »
CONTROVERSIAL plans to build 1,620 homes on the site of the former VT shipyard in Southampton have today been passed by city councillors.
After a six hour, specially-convened meeting, councillors approved the new masterplan for the site and gave the go ahead for the first phase of the works - 160 homes, a supermarket and a 100-bed hotel.
Around a dozen campaigners, including members of the Woolston Community Association, publicly slammed the plans on behalf of the 1,640 objectors - thought to be a record number of complaints for the city.
See a gallery of artist's impressions of what the site will look like
They claimed the development tried to cram in too many homes - most are flats - would create traffic congestion and parking chaos, and the height of the proposed three-waterfront towers, rising up to 25 storeys, would dominate the landscape.
They also complained about a lack of genuine public consultation.
Architects for the developer, Crest Nicholson, hailed it as a "fantastic unique development" that would revitalise Woolston, create jobs and also "create a real identity and lasting legacy for Southampton".
Councillors said they were largely hamstrung by the principles of a previously approved vision for the site, by world-renowned architect Richard Rogers two years ago.
A majority of four to two councillors on the planning committee voted in favour of the latest scheme, citing an increase in family homes and a lower density of housing.
They also gave the go ahead for American boat builder Palmer Johnson to start building 100m long yachts on the site.
According to the city council the total worth of the two developments is £500m.
Councillor Royston Smith, council boss for economic development, said: "Centenary Quay will be quite simply magnificent for Woolston and the city.
The Crest Nicholson application features high quality design, but we must ensure that it is appropriate to the existing surroundings.
"I do not want to see overdevelopment and impacts on parking, transport and vehicular movements for Woolston.
"For this reason I objected to the residential part of the Crest Nicholson application".
Cllr Smith added: "We are delighted to welcome Palmer Johnson to the City. This well established and prestigious company join the growing list of those choosing Southampton as their base from which to do business.
"The council has always held a shared vision with SEEDA to see Woolston Riverside regenerated and revitalised.
"With the Marine Employment Quarter also going ahead the city has just taken a giant leap towards a new era of economic growth.
"Despite the global credit crunch, Southampton continues to defy the odds with a string of massive developments planned for the city. IKEA is opening in the spring, plans are gathering steam for Watermark West Quay and work only recently began on East Park Terrace - a £110 million development which will see homes, offices and hotels built."
Your Say YourEcho
Saint, Forest says...
5:03pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Dixon, says...
5:08pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Whats the betting that there will be an excuse not to build 1002 flats
Bill Ditt, says...
5:18pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Nimbys 0
Woolston Bob, says...
5:19pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Neale, Woolston says...
5:22pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Alexander Elliott-Woolston, Woolston, Southampton says...
5:29pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Marvellous!
kathy, woolston says...
5:35pm Mon 18 Aug 08
goard, Woolston says...
5:37pm Mon 18 Aug 08
goard
Bill Ditt, says...
5:37pm Mon 18 Aug 08
kathy wrote:There are more than 1640 residents in Woolston....
well done the council - ignore people's view. I bet none of them live near by ....
ex-res, no longer woolston says...
5:39pm Mon 18 Aug 08
is this not overkill in the extreme!?
Lee Snyard, Boolston says...
5:42pm Mon 18 Aug 08
southy, redbridge says...
5:44pm Mon 18 Aug 08
goard wrote:you mean like they did in the part of the docks that was sold off.people are no longer able to walk along the dock wall.where gate number use to be.
Great, but wish they could reduce the number of flats - eventually there will be road blocks down by the river and pedestrians won't get a fair deal with river gazing. Perhaps a deal could be done to 'posh up' Woolston's run down areas.
goard
only one couse of action to take woolston that is to blockade the area.they soon listen to you then.
southy, redbridge says...
5:45pm Mon 18 Aug 08
knocker johnson, southampton says...
5:49pm Mon 18 Aug 08
St. Ray, St. Elsewhere says...
5:51pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Clive wrote:Out of character? Do you mean it will not be a run down sh1t hole? Almost anything must be better than the present situation
Totally out of character for Woolston.
Steve, Woolston says...
6:17pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Unfortunately there are also a number of bad points - not enough car parking spaces per dwelling, a road infrastructure that is almost at breaking point now at peak times, and the idiotic council closing down the local secondary school (how visionary was that, not).
These points need addressing for me to be happy about this decision. The council needs to keep the developers on a tight rein.
Agbon, Lahore says...
6:18pm Mon 18 Aug 08
john cook, woolston says...
6:20pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Clive wrote:well done to the council, now we get rid of the woolston ghetto. no doubt most people who live in southampton will be for this development. why should we listen to a minority of whingeing nimbys.
Totally out of character for Woolston.
Steve, Woolston says...
6:22pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Unfortunately there are also a number of bad points - not enough car parking spaces per dwelling, a road infrastructure that is almost at breaking point now at peak times, and the idiotic council closing down the local secondary school (how visionary was that, not).
These points need addressing for me to be happy about this decision. The council needs to keep the developers on a tight rein.
john cook, woolston says...
6:27pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Anon, says...
6:48pm Mon 18 Aug 08
nimby hater, woolston says...
6:50pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Dave, Bitterne says...
7:00pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Wewullywinky, says...
7:05pm Mon 18 Aug 08
about time, soton says...
7:09pm Mon 18 Aug 08
approved the new masterplan for the site and gave the go ahead for the first phase of the works - 160 homes, a supermarket and a 100-bed hotel.
all of you are dumbusses,no flats have been approved you fools
all you posters should look at yourselfs and get off your high horses,i dont think between you that you have an a speck of common sense TUT now get on with your own sad little lives
Condor Man, Southampton says...
7:11pm Mon 18 Aug 08
from afar, itchen bridge says...
7:12pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Council WORKER, Southampton says...
7:19pm Mon 18 Aug 08
hurrah, bitterne says...
7:21pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Bob444, Southampton says...
7:28pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Or will it just be in limbo for years to come.
Robert, Highfield says...
7:37pm Mon 18 Aug 08
I think it will be hard for the developers to make any money in the current climate. House prices, and particularly city centre flats are falling in value. Predictions of 50% falls in flats are realistic.
After all, they didn't finish Ocean Village.
about time, soton says...
8:14pm Mon 18 Aug 08
hurrah wrote:someone doesnt keep up!!!!!!!!!
Happy, happy days. I would rather cut off my right arm than vote Tory but those on the panel today showed really b***s by putting the needs of the city before a whinging/ aggressive minority. Does anyone really believe Palmer Johnson would contemplate employing 800 staff including highly skilled people on a site where all there was was their buildings?? I think the complainers should feel ashamed of themselves for trying to block this as they clearly have no desire to see local people get jobs or be housed. I heard the whingers ask several times today 'bet they don't live there' about councillors or council staff or the developer...no, they probably don't at the moment but maybe they will when there are some decent homes, shops, cafes etc and something other than yet another skanky co-op there. i for one can't wait to sit and have a drink on the waterfront with the possibility of watching an amazing new boat being built/ launched. This is a good day for the city.
read very carefully no one dissapproves of palmer johnson coming to woolston they dissapprove of the amount of dwellings
TUT another dumbuss
Reader, says...
8:41pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Also the Panel could only decide on differences between this and a previously successful application, the towers/flats etc were already successful and it was just numbers/positioning that they were debating.
The extraordinary turn-out of opposition for this was largely wasted as they mainly objected to things that were already decided from before or that could not be changed locally. If Woolston really cared to stop this then they should have shown support at the original hearing two years ago (which received only a handful of objection) rather than crying about it now. I was at the meeting today and most of the objectors were quite elderly and will probably be dead when this is completed (approx 2018) so they're opinions count for naught.
about time, soton says...
9:39pm Mon 18 Aug 08
the objectors were quite elderly and will probably be dead when this is completed (approx 2018) so they're opinions count for naught.
love it now we have an ageist a**hole on the board
Hindsight, shirley says...
9:47pm Mon 18 Aug 08
Local, says...
8:11am Tue 19 Aug 08
Sue, Southampton says...
8:14am Tue 19 Aug 08
Matthew, Woolston says...
8:28am Tue 19 Aug 08
The focus should now be on ensuring that this development is executed in the best manner possible. This includes ensuring that transort linkages are increased/sufficient
, linkages with the existing Victoria Road are good and the PJ site offers employment and training opportunities for the local workforce.
Let's make the best of this opportunity for the benefit of the City as a whole, not just Woolston
Tanker Tom, says...
8:36am Tue 19 Aug 08
Sue wrote:I think the owners of the tankers would laugh at their fuel being described as "cheap"!
I wonder what the air quality will be like with all this development. There are already concerns about the quality of air near ports as it is very high in sulphur due to cheap fule used by tankers.
By international law, the maximum levels of sulphur in bunker oil is coming down all the time and will be capped at 0.5% in a few years time anyway.
southy, redbridge says...
11:16am Tue 19 Aug 08
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Clive, Soton says...
5:01pm Mon 18 Aug 08