Waterfront Quarter, Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Since Portsmouth Football Club – known to fans as Pompey – found its way into the Premier League it has wanted to develop a profile befitting its increased status and opportunity. The old Pompey stadium has been regularly slated as past its best, sparking a flurry of pipe dreams and more concrete plans for a new one. Current frontrunner is for a stadium combined with a dazzling new waterfront development that will involve the talents of Switzerland-based Herzog & De Meuron – creators of the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics. Nothing ventured
A joint venture by Pompey FC and Sellar Property Group has proposed a new waterfront stadium and regional exhibition centre or arena at Horsea Island, on a site near main transport routes to Portsmouth city. At press time, an application for planning approval had not yet been submitted to Portsmouth City Council but, according to the Council’s website, the development is likely to be okayed if satisfactory solutions are found to transport and access issues as well as a conflict with Council policy that cheaper housing should not be concentrated in one area. Earlier plans for a new stadium were shelved. Herzog & De Meuron has designed a 33,000 seat, all-seater stadium and standalone multi-use indoor exhibition centre capable of hosting major regional concerts, expos and indoor sporting events. The exhibition centre will have an all-seater capacity of 10,000. “Pompey’s new stadium is planned on a ‘gateway site’ to the city on the south side of Horsea Island, adjacent to the M275 and M27 motorway junction overlooking the Harbour, Naval Dockyards and out to the Solent,” according to a press statement released by the joint venture. The joint venture also plans a new Navy diving and training facility for the waterfront quarter, supported by low-rise residential, retail and leisure facilities. Fratton Park renewal
The football club’s 1898 stadium, the 17-acre 20,600-seat Fratton Park site, will also be redeveloped as low-rise housing and retail that the architect believes will be in keeping with its environment. “Subject to receipt of the necessary consents, work could get underway in 2009 and construction of the new stadium the following year,” the statement said. James Sellar, chief executive officer at Sellar, said the challenge was to deliver a solution that coordinates the need for user comfort, sustainable access and cost-effectiveness while keeping input of materials and energy to run the facility as low as possible. Peter Storrie, chief executive of Pompey, said Portsmouth Football Club has moved into a new era with the backing of owner Alexandre Gaydamak and its success would encourage regeneration of the city of Portsmouth. The plan
Herzog & de Meuron was responsible for converting the Bankside Power Station . . .