focus on portsmouth 17 Change keeps Portsmouth strong
In a decade, Portsmouth’s population has grown by 33,300. The total investment headed for the city is estimated at £1.8 billion in the next 20 years. This is a city continuously marked by change and affected by the defence sector’s requirements – but throughout its history, change – both good and bad – has forged an even stronger community, writes Sue Hughes.
Opportunities opening up in Portsmouth were highlighted at the end of 2013, when an audience of more than 80 business leaders gathered at InvestPortsmouth, a networking event organised by Portsmouth City Council and hosted by CBRE in London.
City council chief executive David Williams said Portsmouth had been rated the fourth best UK city in which to live and work: “Millions of pounds of investment is being pumped into Portsmouth, with much more to come as the result of our successful City Deal with government. We have prime sites available for development; a highly-
“We are boosting growth in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, marine, aerospace, environmental technologies, transport and logistics, and the creative industries.
“Regeneration is happening, and the council is working very closely with other local authorities, the Solent LEP and the public-private Shaping Portsmouth partnership to bring in even more investment and enable businesses to grow.“
CGI of the new transport interchange at The Hard
skilled workforce, who enjoy the lifestyle the city offers, and the right environment for investors.“
Kathy Wadsworth, director of regeneration at Portsmouth City Council, observed: “Portsmouth is being transformed as a wave of public and private investment totalling more than £1.8b heads for the city. The transformation is apparent as soon as you arrive on the M275, which runs right into the city centre. The new motorway
Guests fill up on free charging for electric cars
Petrol stations, it seems, are about to go the way of full-service fill-ups
Just as having an attendant fill up your BMW for you is but a rosy- hued memory, petrol itself is fast becoming obsolete. Case in point is the Portsmouth Marriott Hotel’s latest offer whereby travellers are invited to fill up their car during a meal or a stay. The caveat? Their cars must require a plug, not petrol.
Leading the way for eco-minded, south coast UK hotels, this latest offer combines two compelling ways to recharge. As guests revitalise themselves by staying the night at the hotel or enjoying a lunch or dinner in the Sealevel Restaurant and Lounge (pictured), they can access complimentary charging for their electric vehicles.
It’s an appetising prospect no matter what brings visitors to the hotel. The AA-Rosette winning Sealevel specialises in seafood
junction we’ve just built will open up large areas in the north-west of the city to housing and commercial development.
“Our next major project will be a new road layout for the city centre, reducing congestion for drivers and making public transport a more attractive option. Put the whole picture together and you have a city where the transport network will have been reconfigured to drive sustainable economic growth.
Also in 2013, the city council adopted a City Centre Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document. Its aim is to boost the prosperity of the city centre and the overall regeneration and it identifies a number of opportunity sites for development and key public realm opportunities for the Commercial Road, north of Marketway, Station Square and Station Street and Guildhall localities, as set out in the Portsmouth Plan.
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Staying overnight continues the fun in exciting ways, too. As a leading green hotel in Portsmouth, the property has deftly balanced responsible hospitality with the sort of amenities modern travellers demand. So while the hotel offers charging for electric cars, recycles 100% of its waste and is replacing its lights with the latest LED options, guests will also find features like satellite LCD televisions in the guest rooms and complimentary high-speed Internet access in the stylish lobby.
dishes and uses only sustainable sources. The modern, maritime- inspired décor follows the lead of the hotel’s lobby in featuring a range of places to sit, whether it’s alongside the wine tower, curled up in a booth or in the centre of the dining room with a group of friends.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JUNE 2014
Or visitors can relax with a massage at hotel’s full-service spa and salon. Even the pint-sized set will enjoy their stay at this family- friendly hotel. Spinnaker Tower, Marwell Zoo and the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard are all close by. Of course, there’s always the indoor pool.
How ever guests choose to join the green revolution at this hotel, they can start by parking their electric cars at the charging
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station. From there, they can either visit the reception desk or, in a nod to the service-oriented experience of yore, telephone to have the operating keys delivered. That may be enough to get the most stalwart petrolhead on the e-car bandwagon.
Details: 023-9238-3151
www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ pmeha-portsmouth-marriott- hotel/
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