Portsmouth city centre road consultation to launch next week

Portsmouth residents and businesses will be able to have their say on plans for a new city centre road layout when they are unveiled next week.

The Portsmouth City Council led proposals will realign the main route from the M275 to allow easy access to the whole of the city centre and open up a number of sites for future development.

The plans will also make it easier to get to and from different parts of the city centre, improve the area for everyone and make it a nicer place to work live and visit.

The plans will be available from 18 October on the council's website, along with details of how to give feedback. The deadline for responses is Wednesday 1 November and anyone without internet access can see the proposals in the Civic Offices reception or any Portsmouth library.

Public information sessions, providing the opportunity to talk to people involved in developing the plans, will be held in Cascades Shopping Centre, near the entrance to TK Maxx, from 9am to 6pm on Thursday 19 and Saturday 21 October.

There will also be information displays in the Civic Offices reception and the café area of 1000 Lakeside, North Harbour.

Cllr Donna Jones, Leader of Portsmouth City Council and Cabinet Member for Planning, Regeneration & Economic Development, said: "Redeveloping the city centre road is one of our top priorities and I'm delighted plans are progressing. As well as improving things for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and public transport, a new route will help facilitate future development of sites by improving access.

"It will also help reconnect parts of the city centre that are currently separated by busy roads and generally allow us to make it a nicer place to live, work and visit. It will be great to give people the opportunity to see the plans and let us know what they think."

The information gained from the consultation will be used to inform a planning application and, once it is submitted, the public will have the chance to comment on it as part of the usual process.

Information on the project is available on www.portsmouth.gov.uk/citycentreroadalternatively email citycentreroad@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call 023 9283 4584.