have your say on the future of the Port of Southampton
Blake Lapthorn is an active member of the
Port City Futures board, based in Southampton. The board is
focused on promoting Southampton as an international ‘Port City’,
furthering the prosperity of the city region and promoting
Southampton’s maritime and logistics industries, their supply
chains, users and employees. The future of the Port of Southampton
is currently the subject of a public consultation. Associated British Ports (ABP)
launched the Port of Southampton's Master Plan on 27 July 2009 and
invited public consultation until 13 November 2009. So now is the
time to act if you want to have your say on the future of the Port
of Southampton.
ABP's public consultation process is set to inform the public
and stakeholders about the Port of Southampton’s Master Plan and
covers the period from now to 2030. It sets out ABP’s vision for
the future growth and development of the Port of Southampton
including the Port’s land at Dibden.
“The Port of Southampton is an integral part of the City of
Southampton and it is a vital component of the local and national
economy so it is appropriate to set out our proposals for the
future,” says Doug Morrison, Port Director of ABP's Port of
Southampton.
“Southampton’s Master Plan is a voluntary process by ABP and the
consultation is in line with the Department for Transport’s
guidance for the UK’s major ports’ development. The
pre-consultation of the Master Plan began in June..........and will
continue until 13 November 2009. The consultation programme gives
local people the opportunity to have their say on the future
development of the Port of Southampton,” said Mr Morrison.
He added that: “We will collate all of the comments received
during the consultation and where appropriate we will incorporate
them into the Master Plan with the intention of publishing it by
the end of 2009. The important thing to remember is that the Master
Plan is not a Planning Application.”
The key objectives of ABP’s master plan are to:
- clarify the Port’s strategic planning for the medium to
long-term;
- identify how land currently owned by the Port of Southampton
may be developed in order to handle the forecast growth in maritime
trade;
- set out the approximate timescales for development;
- inform other planning decisions in the region;
- assist regional and local planning bodies and transport
network-providers, in preparing and revising their own development
strategies;
- inform port users, employees and local communities as to how
they can expect to see the Port develop over the coming years.
The full consultation document is available at local libraries
and via ABP Southampton’s website http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/portconsultation/.
The community is invited to consider the plans and give their views
via the website, by email to southamptonmasterplan@abports.co.uk
or post them using the freepost feedback forms that are available
from libraries.
Alternatively, for more information about the consultation process,
please contact Emily Harvey in our Real Estate team in
Southampton on 023 8085
7112 or at
emily.harvey@bllaw.co.uk.
