Gosport: Solent Enterprise Zone starts search for team to transform Waterfront

Developers are being sought to regenerate a major part of the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus and bring new businesses, investment and jobs to the site.

Site owner, the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), is marketing the Waterfront area based on the Gosport peninsula to seek proposals from leading developers to transform the site.

The Waterfront is a 57-acre area based on the former naval base at Lee-on-the-Solent and forms part of a major development opportunity which is set to bring 3,500 new jobs to the area over the next 18 years. Partners want to create an employment-led mixed development of homes, businesses, leisure, recreational and marine facilities and breathe new life into its historic buildings.

It is anticipated that redevelopment of the Waterfront site could unlock up to 1,000 jobs for the enterprise zone. The marketing activity comes as the enterprise zone’s flagship Centre of Excellence in Engineering and Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training (CEMAST) opened its doors to around 900 students on the site this month.

Kevin Bourner, HCA head of area, said: “The Waterfront area presents a huge opportunity to create something that puts the Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus on the map.

“It has potential to deliver a vibrant and successful new area for businesses, with homes and community facilities as part of the offer. We want to hear from interested parties about how they can help partners achieve their ambitions for this part of the Solent Enterprise Zone and create a development that people can be proud of.”

The long-term goal for the enterprise zone is to provide high-skilled manufacturing and technology jobs focusing on the marine and aerospace sectors. The Government has recognised this potential and has agreed to invest more than £7 million to improve access roads to the Waterfront area and help unlock it for development. The new spine road will be under construction early next year and will link the new main gateway to the Waterfront site.

Councillor Mark Hook, leader of Gosport Borough Council, said: “The Waterfront presents an exciting opportunity for investment in new businesses, leisure and in new homes. The investment from the Government demonstrates its confidence in the potential of the Waterfront to become a successful and vibrant area. It will help to provide critical improvements needed to make progress in creating new commercial development and providing new local jobs.”

Gary Jeffries, chair of Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Opening up the Waterfront area at Lee-on-the-Solent is the next big project at the Solent Enterprise Zone. We are looking for a development partner who can bring imagination to this important waterside site and create a quality employment-led development. It has been two decades since Lee residents have been able to access this area. We want to bring the fences down and integrate the Waterfront with the existing Lee community.”

Councillor Roy Perry, leader of Hampshire County Council, said: “This development opportunity has the potential to significantly reposition Gosport as a major destination on the south coast. We are looking forward to working with the development partners to bring this exciting opportunity to fruition.”

Leading property consultancy Jones Lang Lasalle has been appointed to market the new development.