Gosport Waterfront plan ‘massively over budget’, councillor fears

Waterfront regeneration plans are being pushed ahead in Gosport despite fears they are “massively over budget”.

The regeneration and skills board at Gosport Borough has signed off detailed plans for a package of public‑realm projects, marking the first phase of a masterplan for the town’s 4.4km historic shoreline.

The project has £18m of government regeneration money, with £11m going on the Rum Store at Victoria Quay and £6.9m on improvements to waterfront streets, walkways and open spaces.

But Cllr Paul Jacobs, Reform for Rowner and Holbrook, has raised fears over the sky-high cost of the scheme.

He pointed to costs for a turfed park area and bandstand “rising from £800,000 to £1.9m” and questioned plans to spend £1.27m on signage while “only budgeting £14,000 a year” for maintenance.

Cllr Jacobs also raised concerns over a £4.194m bill for new restaurants on the former bus station site, which “would require £1.421m in borrowing”, and warned further delays risk pushing costs even higher.

He added: “While securing external funding for Gosport is great news, we must ensure the council isn’t over-stretched and can genuinely afford everything planned.”

Cllr Jacobs’ concerns cover both legacy spending on the former People’s Park scheme and the latest estimates for the new Long‑Term Regeneration Fund (LRF) waterfront programme.

The council said the two projects are separate and that current public‑realm figures are indicative only, not evidence that the LRF scheme has already gone over an agreed budget.

On paper, the latest estimate for the phase‑one package is £5.88m against £5.39m of funding – a forecast gap of about £490,000.

But the council insists that does not mean the scheme has formally gone over budget, arguing the figure is still only an early cost estimate.

Council leader Cllr Zoe Huggins said such a claim is “simply incorrect”, adding: “Unlike others, we will only progress projects that are backed by a robust business case, deliverable, and provide value and economic growth for money for residents.”

She said the programme would help attract visitors and investment, adding that the wider masterplan would guide future bids for extra funding.

Cllr Kevin Casey, chairman of the board, said that costs “remain indicative because the designs are still being developed.”

He added that final designs, confirmed costs and delivery proposals will return to members in November before any construction decisions are made.

According to the council, the masterplan for the historic waterfront sets out a long‑term vision for the stretch from the former Haslar Hospital and Submarine Museum up to Hardway.

It aims to reshape how residents and visitors move around and experience the area.

Councillors have agreed to move the phase‑one projects into the detailed design stage.

Final designs, updated costs and delivery plans are due back to the board in November, with the current government funding only covering a first tranche of projects and the wider masterplan intended to guide future bids for extra cash.

The first phase of work includes new wayfinding and interpretation signage along the shoreline, a “welcoming gateway” at the ferry port and High Street, public‑realm upgrades at Royal Clarence Yard including a viewing platform and better access from Mumby Road,

It also features landscaping and lighting around the Millennium Sundial to draw visitors towards the Submarine Museum, and a community‑led Vertipools project to create artificial rockpools along the seawall.