Plans have now been submitted to the city council to demolish the two-storey Portswood Shopping Centre and build accommodation for 519 students across two blocks up to six-storeys.

 

As reported, initial plans for the site, opposite Portswood Road’s junction with Brookvale Road, had already been revealed online and at meetings to gain community input towards the end of last year.

Pre-application advice has also been sought from Southampton City Council.

Early proposals emerged against a backdrop of concerns over the expanding night-time economy and the decline of independent shops in Portswood. It was also just before the start of the now-suspended bus gate trial, (suspended May 15), which many blamed for local business woes and even closures.

The applicant, ATRI73 Ltd, proposes to redevelop the complex with a mix of cluster flats and studios across up to 409 units, providing 519 bed spaces.

According to the application, it would also incorporate 461 square metres of “flexible commercial floorspace” - potentially used for shops, cafés, restaurants or offices under what’s known as ‘Class E’ use. This represents a net loss of 2,068 square metres of tradable floorspace compared with the existing 2,529 square metres - a reduction of around 80%.

Parking spaces would also be affected: the 91 on-site spaces would not be retained, although 281 cycle spaces would be incorporated.

The applicant’s planning statement says that the development would secure a “long-term viable future for an underutilised site” and the “removal of unattractive buildings and hardstanding that offer little visual amenity nor a positive contribution to the streetscene”.

It suggests that the new buildings would be “responsive to local context by featuring a proportionate scale and quality architectural treatments, to underpin the regeneration of Portswood.”

It also adds that new student housing would “meet a clear and identified need” and it would have the indirect benefit of releasing family sized homes. The removal of the current entrance on the Portswood Road/Brookvale Road junction would benefit pedestrians and cyclists, it suggests, and the project would create jobs and bring economic benefits related to the new student population “and their resultant spend capacity along Portswood Road and the wider area”.

During initial consultations, local councillors raised a range of concerns. Cllr John Savage (Lab, Portswood) said the site should retain a meaningful mix of retail, warning against a shift toward fast food and an unbalanced night-time economy. He also stressed the need for rear servicing access given the bus gate trial.

“We need to ensure a prosperous [Portswood] Broadway retains a balanced retail offer that meets the needs of the whole community,” he said in October 2024.

And Cllr Katherine Barbour (Green, Portswood) called for housing to serve young professionals, not just students, and highlighted potential pressure on local infrastructure, parking and services.

We previously reported that adding 500 new living spaces would increase the Portswood ward population by around 3.8%, according to ONS ward population figures.

Residents can view and comment on the plans via the council’s planning portal.