Fareham Borough Landscape Assessment

May 1996

Character Area 38

Portchester South

Description

Portchester South includes the large residential area between the railway line and the coast. It includes Portchester town centre and the edge of a larger industrial area on East Street.

The essential characteristics of Portchester South are: * a larger concentration of older, inter war suburban housing with a grid street pattern and block structure, allowing good permeability; * a generally poor public and private realm landscape with few street trees and scattered trees in gardens; * a 'modern' local shopping centre on the old high street, pedestrianised in part and served by car parks; * a busy main road corridor * lack of variety in built form, homogenous character; * public open space provision mostly outside the urban area next to the coastline and not very accessible; * no coastal character in residential areas despite the proximity of the coast.

Enhancement Priorities

The emphasis in Portchester South is similar to the area to the north. There is a general need to enhance the public realm areas and to try and reinforce the identity of the area through environmental improvements.

Priorities for enhancement are: * to undertake environmental improvements, particularly along the main road corridor, around the town centre; * to reinforce the urban edge/ coastal fringe landscapes; * to create better pedestrian links between the town centre and residential areas and the coastal fringe; * to reinforce local identity through environmental improvements, such as creating a more coastal feel to residential areas, through colour treatment and planting.