Plans to deliver 175 new council homes for social rent in central Portsmouth have moved a step closer.
Portsmouth City Council is preparing to begin the search for a contractor to take on the first phase of the Somers Orchard development.
The opening phase will consist of three blocks at four, 10 and 18 storeys. Construction is currently expected to begin in summer 2027, with the homes ready in early 2030.
The properties will be built on the site of the former Horatia and Leamington towers. All 175 homes will be let at social rent to applicants on the housing register and will sit under Portsmouth Homes, the council’s housing management arm.
Alongside meeting the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, the homes are being designed with energy efficiency in mind.
The wider plans also make provision for two commercial units, shared garden space and a publicly accessible Changing Places toilet. The existing community garden will remain untouched during this phase.
Funding support is being lined up with backing from Homes England and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which are working with the council to secure the grant needed for this stage and future phases.
Residents have continued to feed into the project through a community panel, with their input described as central to shaping the scheme and its next steps.
Speaking about the plans, Cllr Darren Sanders, cabinet member for housing and tackling homelessness, said: “At long last, we can start delivering on the hopes and dreams of local people.
“There are so few schemes across Hampshire that can deliver homes people can afford and I am delighted that – finally – we can start work here.”
A report setting out the latest position is due to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
More information is available via the Somers Orchard webpage.
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