The seafront has been an important part of Portsmouth and Southsea for at least the last two centuries and this is formally recognised in terms of its location within the Seafront Conservation Area but also its proximity to the common which is a Grade II listed Park and Garden. The seafront also sits alongside the densest city outside of London therefore provides valuable outdoor social and leisure space and also holds a number of listed structures along it. These structures are considered by Historic England as a combination of ‘garden and park structures’, commemorative structures’ and ‘street furniture’ within their listing guidance (Historic England Parks and Gardens, 2017).
The structures include three of the seaside shelters themselves, several lamp columns, commemorative structures and monuments, a tram shelter and a lighthouse. The structures help shape the individuality of the seafront and the seaside experience.
During the current sea defence work, several of the lamp columns will be removed for the duration of the works. Their location has been deemed important enough that they will be returned to their original locations. The listed seafront shelters will also be temporarily removed and replaced, but the unlisted beach shelters are to be relocated to form a more coherent group thus strengthening their value. This is worth considering when looking at new locations for the proposed beach shelters.
The Seafront Conservation Area is the largest in the city comprising 100 hectares and includes the Common. It was designated in 1971 and the area extended in 1977.
The Conservation document prepared in 2003 and 2006 is specific on the importance of the area within its character appraisal, describing the area as being ‘almost entirely open space’, it ‘affords views out to sea’ and ‘forms the open foreground of views of the city from ferries and other craft’.
There are numerous documents that both detail some of this importance and guide future development of the seafront. These include;
- Historic England Listing Documents
- Conservation Area 10 document Portsmouth City Council
- The Portsmouth Plan (2012)
- Southsea Seafront Strategy (2012)
- South Hampshire Green Infrastructure Implementation Plan 2019
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