PORTCHESTER MATTERS Issue 15 The Newsletter of the Portchester Civic Society (Founded 2000) Winter 2017 Portchester - A Planning Nightmare Portchester Lost - Haymaking on Little Wicor Farm, looking over Cranleigh Road towards Wicor Marine by Paul Woodman of the delays in bringing this plans for not only brown field project forward, the Council sites, but also huge swathes have been forced into looking of greenfield sites. Sites we all over the Borough to identify once thought safe. After Welbourne Garden Village alternative sites. Portchester was recently receiving the Draft development was supposed promised that we would be safe Fareham Borough Council to provide the necessary from further major developments, Local Plan we find that there number of houses that the but losing the Cranleigh Road are 744 dwellings allocated Government decided have to appeal was a complete disaster. to Portchester. be built in Fareham over the It has become open season for next five years but, because developers to push forward their continued on page 2 » PORTCHESTER MATTERS | WINTER 2017 « Continued from front page Visit to Fort Brockhurst These are made up of Cranleigh Road 120 dwellings, Romsey by Hazel Woodman Avenue 225 dwellings, Downend Road East 350 dwellings and On a wet and miserable day in July Moraunt Drive 49 dwellings. a group of Society members met Although not a Fareham up at Fort Brockhurst, Gosport, to development, we also have an have a guided tour with the Curator, adjacent Portsmouth plan for Pam Braddock. a further 160 dwellings on the Trafalgar Wharf site which will I was very curious as to what we were impact significantly on Portchester. going to see as I believe the Fort is full This means over 900 dwellings of artifacts that are stored their by English A piece of Southwick Priory being built over the next five Heritage. We started off with Pam showing years with little or no planned infrastructure to support all these us a very large model in a glass case of extra residents. How are the the Portsmouth and Solent area defences schools, surgeries and roads built in the late 1800s. Often known as expected to cope? We already Palmerston’s Follies! As we walked from have gridlock morning and evening, room to room she unveiled a wealth of particularly around the Delme area. treasures not normally on show to the The Draft Plan is now open for public. It was quite mind blowing! consultation so please take a look Admiring the plan of Portsmouth defences at it and comment. Local input We ended our tour with her showing us a section of marble from Southwick Priory is important to secure the best which could have been at one time in St for Portchester. Mary’s at Portchester Castle. The final amazing artifact was a large-scale model of Sheerness Dockyard in sections, which was rescued when the Dockyard was Thomas closed. It is enormous in size and Pam Goble’s Grave hopes that one day it might go back on show at Sheerness. Every year, on Trafalgar Day, 21st October, Hazel and I put flowers Groups can visit Fort Brockhurst by Fort Brockhurst visit on the grave of Thomas and arrangement or on Heritage Open Days. Mary Goble in the churchyard of St Mary’s, Portchester, on behalf of the Society. Thomas A Bus to the Castle was on the quarterdeck of HMS Victory during the battle and the by Paul Woodman Society restored the grave in the bicentennial year 2005. On visiting the City of Portsmouth Preserved Transport Depot at Wicor I Paul Woodman spotted one of the Leyland buses with the destination blind for the 145 service via Castle Street to Cornaway Lane. Until the late 1950s the Corporation bus A 145 bus turns into White Hart Lane route ran into the southern end of Castle from Castle Street in August 1969 Street where they would turn around at the Jubilee Oak. Rosemary Dunne recalls the crew often taking a break at the bus stop outside the Cormorant pub before continuing the return journey. The 145 service from Broad Street, Old Portsmouth to Cornaway Lane continued until the early 1970s. The Society has photos of buses in the northern end of Castle Street but I would love to see any photos of the buses, or learn more Bus destination blind about this service, to the Cormorant area. 2 PORTCHESTER MATTERS | WINTER 2017 The Jewel Tower Portchester Civic Society’s visit After the Society’s visit to the Palace of Westminster we crossed the road to the Palace of Westminster to the Jewel Tower for refreshments and a tour of this ancient site. by Geraldine Smith Built in 1365 within the private palace of King Edward III as a secure place to keep the most valuable possessions of the royal On September 11th, a group of household. As the royal residence moved members and friends travelled in style to the Palace of Westminster for a tour of this historic building which brings together The House of Commons and House of Lords. We eagerly awaited our turn as we stood in sunshine waiting for Queen is forbidden to enter the House security clearance. We were not of Commons. Another interesting fact disappointed! We were warmly about both the House of Lords and welcomed by the personal assistant the Commons is that there are small to Suella Fernandez M.P. and then speakers embedded in the backs of the by Suella herself. seats, which are relaying the voices of those speaking. So, the next time you We were fortunate to have been see people looking as if they are asleep, assigned a fantastic guide, who had they may just be leaning towards the worked here as a P.A. to several speaker to hear the debate. prominent M.P.’s for over 30 years. away from Westminster in the 16th century, Judging by the reaction from others, as We were shown the lobby where M.P.’s the tower became a Parliamentary record we toured the building, it is likely that go to vote after a debate and learnt how office preserving the records of the House she ruled them with a rod of iron! the Whips operate to ‘persuade’ those of Lords. In 1834 the tower survived the fire who may be considering voting against We were shown the robing room where that destroyed much of the historic Palace the Whip. Queen Elizabeth II gowns up, including of Westminster. In 1869, the records putting on her crown, prior to entering Our guide also told us that anybody can were stored inside the new Houses of Parliament and the Jewel Tower was used the House of Lords. The television enter the public area and ask to see as a testing facility for the Board of Trade pictures fail to show just how ornate this their Member of Parliament. Indeed, Standards Department, determining the Upper House is. In contrast, the Lower she positively encouraged us to do so. House, the House of Commons seems definitive value of weights and measures very plain and rather drab. We learnt All in all, it was a fascinating morning and for Britain and its empire. With thanks to that it is the fault of Charles I that the one which I believe, everyone enjoyed. English Heritage for the information. Paul Woodman Planning Work is well under way on the former Portchester Castle Catholic Church site in White Hart – Work on the Walls Lane. Eight homes are being built Extensive work is continuing but with only 13 parking spaces, two on clearing vegetation from the of which are designated disabled Castle’s walls, although the yellow spots. Within planning rules but totally and blue covering on the scaffolding inadequate for modern day living for 2 has caused remarks as to whether and 3 bedroom homes with the usual this will become a new Ikea store! problems of local street parking. We Lidl is now well established in Portchester have already noticed a large drop in and the Co-op is still here despite threats to bird numbers in the area due to their close if Lidl was approved! Unfortunately, loss of habitat when mature trees in Portchester has lost one of its oldest which they roosted were hacked down. remaining businesses when Spencer and Penn shoe shop closed in August after The former factory site in Windmill Grove serving the village for over 80 years. is also a hive of activity with work in progress on 24 homes, a mixture of bungalows and houses. Paul Woodman 3 PORTCHESTER MATTERS | WINTER 2017 Chairman’s Newsletter Dear Members, It was good to have a wonderful summer and I do hope you had the chance to enjoy long warm days. To turn from the positive to the negative, we are living in uncertain times with Fareham Borough Council not being able to guarantee a five-year housing supply for the Borough. Unfortunately this problem Beachwatch 2017 has dominated our year, particularly the Cranleigh Road Inspector’s Armed with questions I made an Houses of Parliament. Reports on the hearing where the Society made a appointment to see the Leader of FBC, visits are elsewhere in the newsletter. deputation knowing that a negative Councillor Sean Woodward. Paul and Bryan Jerrard’s walks down Castle outcome would be a disaster for myself met with him on Thursday 12th Street, as part of Heritage Open Portchester. The Inspector ruled October to discuss the Portchester sites Days, were enjoyed by many and that the Persimmon Homes appeal is listed in the new Draft Borough Plan again our clean up of the Portchester allowed and planning permission is which had come out whilst we were away Foreshore in conjunction with the granted for residential development on holiday.