M275 Portsmouth: Portsmouth, Tipner West, Cosham + Paulsgrove strategic planning & infrastructure review

New development along Portsmouth’s western corridor at Tipner West is being proposed on land reclaimed from the sea. The M275 already creates significant barriers that sever outlying communities from central Portsmouth, blights the city's western entrance and damages the adjacent urban environment. This new development, located on a spur peninsular to the M275's west, will always deliver an isolated community.
The M275 is therefore evaluated here, and its re classification into an ‘A’ road, its adaptive reuse and modification proposed. This enables sufficient land to be released to meet projected needs, without further reclamation, and allows Portsmouth’s expansion to be more accessible, sustainable and resilient, with outputs offering better quality and higher value.
Currently proposed investment, eg. in the 25ha. of land reclamation at risk from sea level rise and a new c. £36m bridge, then becomes unnecessary. Adaptive re-use of the urban infrastructure and engaging more widely with all the city’s issues and assets can better unlock much needed housing sites, better urban connectivity, mixed modal transport, accessibility and amenity that delivers better, more resilient and sustainable communities.