The concerns.
The evidence.

1. Student demand and nominations

The council’s 2024 topic paper, paragraph 5.7, records 507 Mannequin House and 353 Alliot House rooms: 860 in total. This is a historical baseline, not a verified current count. The 2025 modified allocation R19080 contains an indicative 860 cap across the strategic location and university nominations with Portsmouth priority.

The Inspector’s March 2026 report, paragraphs 39–40, allows caps to be exceeded with robust evidence of additional unmet need and other policy compliance. GLA H15 guidance generally requires majority-bedroom nominations before occupation. We have not established that this application lacks an agreement. Confirm final LP2 adoption and wording through the council’s plan page.

2. Permanent homes

The developer’s updated website states 62 social-rent homes and 758 student places. Adopted Local Plan Part 1 Policy 18 addresses balanced communities. The modified allocation’s 2,300–3,500-home ambition is area-wide, not a quota for this plot. Student accommodation can contribute to housing targets through the applicable conversion; student places and C3 homes are not interchangeable counts. The claimed 1,800 minimum and earlier promise of 200 homes remain unverified.

3. Daylight, sunlight and privacy

Local Plan Part 1 Policy 57, printed page 159, protects amenity. Check building, room and window references in the daylight report. The suggested “50% of Equipment Works rooms” impact and earlier poster percentages are unverified and excluded from the draft. Daylight and direct sunlight use different metrics; guidance departures require context.

4. Industrial space

The developer states 963 m² of affordable workspace and describes the parcel as Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS), within the wider industrial area. The Inspector’s report, paragraphs 124–125, prioritises industrial reprovision and intensification. Compare existing and proposed floorspace, use classes, suitability and phasing before alleging a loss. Agent of Change is relevant to managing conflict between incoming homes and existing industrial noise; daylight concerns are better grounded in amenity policy.

5. Height and setting

Masterplan paragraph 6.4.34, printed page 191, requires height transitions towards the Wetlands and sensitive neighbours. The masterplan page allows 18 floors and above subject to exceptional design and rigorous testing. A blanket ban on 25 storeys is not established; the proposed height still needs checking against submitted elevations.