Councillors at Gosport Borough Council have finally agreed on a developer to bring forth the final regeneration of the historic former armaments site - Priddy’s Hard, in Gosport, Hampshire.
After two days of presentations, London based company, Verve Properties Limited, were chosen for their practical but exciting ideas to bring life back into the Priddy’s Hard Heritage area.
With the Explosion! museum as its centrepiece, the whole area is to be developed as a vibrant mixed use regeneration project. The existing buildings on the site are to be refurbished providing business space and jobs. They will be highly flexible in size and specification appealing to such diverse groups as a jewellery maker, a graphic designer, model maker or computer company.
It is also hoped to have some form of landmark building on the site to complement the current buildings. Verve also see a waterside restaurant/café/bar within the Explosion! Museum complex, giving local people and visitors the chance to enjoy a meal or drink on the waterside, something they are unable to do locally at the moment.
“The final plan has yet to be agreed, but after making a visit to a site they are currently developing in Bristol, the panel were seriously impressed with their ideas and designs,” said Councillor Shaun Cully, Leader of the Council. “There they have taken a redundant paintworks, with buildings dating from Victorian to 1930’s and have sympathetically restored and adapted them for modern-day working and living, but without losing the buildings integrity and beauty, something we wish to see at Priddy’s Hard.
“The fact they wish to provide more opportunities for local jobs at Priddy’s Hard and that their designs will hopefully attract more visitors to the site was key to their proposal, as was the fact that they too see Explosion! as central to the whole development.”
Managing Director of Verve, Ashley Nicholson said “We are very excited to be asked to develop our ideas for Priddy’s Hard further. Our vision (and background) is to create a lively employment led mixed community, with the Explosion! Museum expanded to include a café/restaurant/bar at its heart. We see the area providing Gosport with the vibrant destination it currently lacks.”
Verve is now being asked to come forward with more detailed plans and financial information for the Board to discuss and finalise. All parties are keen to progress the redevelopment as soon as possible to see the site become an important venue for leisure, an exciting and interesting workspace and a fantastic visitor destination!
