Portsmouth City Council has confirmed progress on its major City Centre North regeneration project.
In May this year, the council confirmed it had appointed delivery consultancy and construction experts Mace to lead the delivery strategy for the huge development project.
The team will provide expertise in construction, regeneration, and property to guide the next stages of the project.
The scheme is set to transform 13.25 hectares of underused brownfield land into a new city quarter. Plans include up to 2,300 new homes, a share of which will be affordable, alongside 10,000 sqm of commercial space. A central green space will sit at the heart of the development.
A council spokesperson said: “Earlier this year we appointed Mace, supported by Montagu Evans and Vail Williams, to lead the delivery strategy for City Centre North. Their findings are due in October 2025.
“To support this, we issued a market engagement notice earlier this month to attract a lead developer and specialist partners. Initial interest from developers across housing, hospitality, and commercial sectors has been encouraging.”
They added: “While large projects like this come with challenges, such as land assembly and infrastructure upgrades, we’re confident in the long-term success of the scheme. It supports Portsmouth’s goals for sustainable growth, homes for local people, better public spaces, and improved transport links. We’re looking forward to working with residents, businesses, and partners to bring this vision to life.”
The City Centre North scheme is one of the largest urban regeneration projects on the south coast. It replaces the former Tricorn and Sainsbury’s sites. Outline planning consent was secured in autumn 2023.
The scheme includes plans to transform the junction of Charlotte Street, Commercial Road and Lake Road into “Portsmouth Piazza” – a new public space designed as a gateway to the city centre.
A large park is proposed between St Agatha’s and All Saints’ churches, linking through to Victoria Park to the south.
Commercial Road would also be revitalised with a new transport hub and active ground-floor shops. The council says it is “vital” the area continues to attract visitors “despite changes to shopping habits”.
The scheme will be delivered in phases. Phase 1 includes two housing blocks with around 550 homes, about 30 per cent affordable, and part of the new park. Phase 2 brings up to 1,800 more homes, commercial space, and over 22,400 sqm of green areas.
The project also aims to improve walking and cycling routes and support sustainable travel.
Mace were approached for comment.
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