Cosham regeneration

The story so far

Cosham yesterday

In the 1800s the land that is now Cosham was mainly made up of orchards with only a handful of large homes, some of which were reportedly visited by Admiral Lord Nelson and Lady Hamilton.

The arrival of the railway line and trams in the late 1800s improved links between Cosham and Portsmouth but it remained a village until the 20th century.  

Most of the homes in Cosham were built between 1920 and 1930 after the conditions in the city of Portsmouth were deemed ‘unliveable’. Cosham grew during the inter-war years thanks to a boom in housebuilding and the rise of suburban neighbourhoods. It became the main centre in the north of Portsmouth with a thriving local high street and community facilities.  

Cosham today

In the 2012 Portsmouth Plan, Cosham was identified as a preferred location for growth. 

Today, Cosham is home to a strong local community. There are many facilities within easy walking distance and good rail and bus connections into Portsmouth and the wider region. It is home to the Lakeside North Harbour business campus, HMRC and the Queen Alexandra Hospital – bringing lots of people into the area each day for work. 

The centre had seen visitor footfall steadily increase in recent years, boosted by markets on the pedestrianised part of the High Street but, like all town centres, it is vulnerable to changing shopping and travel habits.  

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the need for great public space and community facilities into sharp focus with local town centres gaining a renewed relevance.  

Cosham tomorrow

As well as looking at plans and ideas for development within the Cosham opportunity area, Cosham is at the heart of several other ambitious schemes that will benefit those who live, work and travel in the area.  

The planned South East Hampshire Rapid Transit scheme will improve connections across the region and the Cosham Mobility Hub project will improve access to existing public transport links. Schemes to improve wayfinding, lighting and potentially more pedestrianisation aim to create a more accessible centre.  

These improvements will support people who live in Cosham and work at Lakeside North Harbour, Queen Alexandra Hospital and HMRC’s Lynx House and provide economic opportunities for new business.  

There are also plans underway to improve King George V playing fields and to create a Linear Park in Hilsea offering new and improved local leisure facilities, better connected green spaces, and the opportunity for the north of Portsmouth to become a destination for wellbeing activities.  

Timeline

2012

Cosham becomes a preferred location for growth in the Portsmouth Plan

2021

Cosham identified as a strategic site for employment and homes in Portsmouth’s draft Local Plan

2022

Public engagement begins to ask people in Cosham what should be considered as part of future plans for Cosham

2022-2023

A masterplan will be developed for central Cosham with involvement from the local community

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