Southsea Skatepark set for major upgrade with indoor facility
“You could say, the real hard work begins now!”
Delight has been expressed after plans to transform the historic Southsea Skatepark on Southsea Common were given the green light.
Portsmouth City Council approved the proposals submitted by the charity which operates which aims to modernise the facility with a new indoor skatepark. The development includes a roofed structure that will also house viewing areas, a café and a shop.
“Together we can write a new chapter in the history of this iconic Southsea Skatepark, and help unleash the potential of every generation that does (and will) call the skatepark their home from home,” a spokesperson for the skatepark said.
A key part of the proposal is a new two-storey building, featuring a double-height second floor, which will accommodate the indoor skatepark in the northern section of the site.
This indoor circuit will measure approximately 32 metres long and 15 metres wide, with viewing areas at both ends.
Speaking to the council’s planning committee, architect Paul Cashin said the proposals “started off merely as a roof, a simple proposition, but its grown in ambition and scale into what we have today”.
The application has generally received positive feedback, except from the Portsmouth Society, which said the designs looked too militaristic due to brick arches on the outer perimeter.
Mr Cashin said the conservation concerns were “reasonable” but argued that the public benefits “hopefully” outweigh them.
Paul Gonella, a charity trustee, said the skatepark attracts a broad range of people of different ages and abilities, mainly for skateboarding, scooter riding and BMX.
He added that professional athletes use the skatepark, with many having to train in indoor facilities elsewhere when the weather is not suitable.He said the new building would help maintain the skatepark for future generations while supporting local talent.
Responding to the Portsmouth Society’s concerns, councillor Lee Hunt said the design reminded him of the Hotwalls Art Studios and the D-Day Museum.He added: “If we’re talking about militaristic, we’ve got King Henry VIII’s castle just over the road.”
The planning officer described the detailed brick arches as “appropriate response to the location” and added “if the society saw it as a criticism, I can see it as a positive, it depends on your viewpoint.”
Cllr Judith Smyth proposed conditioning outdoor planting to soften the look, in response to the Portsmouth Society’s criticism.
Established in 1978, Southsea Skatepark is among the longest-running in the country. The site has an even longer past, previously home to a roller skating rink and, before that, a bandstand built in 1928.
After the application was granted, a Southsea Skatepark spokesperson said: “This is a massive step forward for the project, and this now means we can start to hit the ground running with our strategy and plans for for the next phase in our journey, which includes compiling detailed costings for the build, working timelines and, in a way most important, fundraising.
“You could say, the real hard work begins now! True, but we’re going to take a moment to reflect on everything and everyone that got the skatepark and the charity here, and also look forward to where we’re going with the help and support of the incredible skatepark community.”