Portsmouth tops county list for brownfield housing potential
A new analysis suggests Portsmouth could build more homes on brownfield land than anywhere else in Hampshire.
The Countryside Charity Hampshire, formerly the Council for the Preservation of Rural England, says around 33,000 homes could be built on previously developed land across the county.
This follows national research showing England could fit 1.4m homes on brownfield sites, with 38 per cent already having planning permission.
The analysis estimates 13,073 homes could be built in Portsmouth - far more than Southampton in second place with 3,779.
The Countryside Charity says building on brownfield land allows faster construction, protects greenfield areas, supports regeneration and follows the government’s “brownfield-first” policy.
Margaret Paren, Chair of CPRE Hampshire, said: “The government has pledged a brownfield-first approach to new housing, but the reality is more unnecessary development on green fields near small villages with limited infrastructure.
“We need targets for brownfield sites, up-to-date registers and investment in genuinely affordable and social homes. If we want homes that tackle the housing crisis and revitalise our towns and cities, then homes for social rent on unused brownfield sites have to be the place we start.”
A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said they “entirely agree” with the estimate of 13,073 homes across 135 brownfield sites.
“It must be noted however that the register was last updated in 2024 and consequently many entries are out of date. It will soon require updating with some sites coming off, as they are built out, and sites coming on, if they are discovered.”
They said 36 of these sites already have planning permission for 3,851 homes, but this figure will change when the register is updated.
“For example the recently commenced development of Victory Quay (835 new homes) part of the Tipner East site is, since the 2024 register was compiled, now permissioned and work has started on the delivery on site.”
On the challenges of brownfield development, the spokesperson said: “All brownfield sites will have a complex mix of constraints and abnormal costs to enable them to come forward. Mostly commonly in Portsmouth it is the overall development’s financial viability that is given as a reason why approved schemes are not bought forward.
“As the most common reason given as to why approved schemes are not bought forward is development viability, government intervention to support the cost of delivery would provide assistance.”
Portsmouth’s emerging Local Plan, which guides development across the city, sets a target of 680 new homes a year between 2020 and 2040 – a total of 13,600 homes.