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Unlocking the right mix


A former prison site in Portsmouth has found a new purpose, in a combination of new build and refurbishment for a ‘tenure blind’ mix of luxury fl ats and aff ordable homes – by two housebuilders. Roseanne Field reports.


L


ocated on one of the main three roads running through Portsmouth, the former Kingston Prison had been leſt derelict since its closure in 2013. Despite being purchased in 2014 by developer City and Country, a


long road of planning issues and debate over what should be done with the site lay ahead. Several ideas were discussed, with the developer initially suggesting a


museum, before then proposing an exclusively private residential development. However, with housing waiting lists high in the city Portsmouth City Council insisted aff ordable housing must be included within the proposed development. City and Country had originally purchased the site as part of a portfolio of 10


prisons it was looking to redevelop. However, getting the numbers to stack up on this particular site to justify developing it was proving diffi cult, particularly with the council standing fi rm that it must include aff ordable housing. On top of this, the main prison building – built in 1877 – as well as various elements around it are Grade II listed. South east-based aff ordable housing provider VIVID had caught wind of


the discussions, with Portsmouth being one of their target areas. “We track developments in that area, looking for opportunities where we can step in,” explains VIVID group development and new business director, Tristan Samuels. VIVID is a registered provider (RP) and developer, with around 36,000


homes currently under management and 80 projects under development. T e team keep abreast of ongoing projects and planning applications,


simultaneously building a good working relationship with local authorities. With development being “a bit of a luxury” for RPs according to Samuels, he credits VIVID’s success to the successful management of their existing stock. As well as keeping an eye on upcoming developments, the company looks at


locations where the housing need is high. Portsmouth and its surrounding areas, including Gosport and Southampton, are areas VIVID is particularly interested in, due to their unique mix of characteristics. “T ey’re what we describe as northern cities on the south coast,” explains Samuels. “T ey’re low value areas, with high need, but the build costs are in line with the rest of Hampshire so they’re quite hard to make work.” It was this that gave them their ‘in’ on the Kingston Place development,


with the local authority – Portsmouth City Council – and City and Country at a bit of a stalemate. “City and Country said they couldn’t deliver aff ordable housing because of the value, so we stepped in and said we’d take it on,” Samuels explains. “Being an RP, we were able to show we weren’t just there to make a profi t. We’re here because there’s a social and community value asset. T ey trusted we were going to do what we said we were going to do.”


Housing Management & Maintenance June/July 2025


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