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‘Shaping Southsea’ event (April – June 2009)

Summary Report

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‘Shaping Southsea’ - Summary Report

Contents

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Events

1.2 Purpose

2.0 PCC Design Charrette

2.1 Outcomes

3.0 Community Charrette

3.1 What happened at the Design Charrette

3.2 Participants

3.3 Method

3.4 Outcomes

3.4.1 Activities

3.4.2 Movement and connectivity

3.4.3 Environment

3.4.4 Culture & Identity

3.4.5 Economics

3.5 Variation for each of the days

4.0 Shaping Southsea feedback event

4.1 What happened at the feedback event

4.2 Participation

4.3 Outcomes

5.0 Conclusion

Appendix A – Community Charrette responses

Appendix B – Feedback event images

Appendix C – Sea Change contextual document

Appendix D – Feedback event results

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1.0 Introduction

This report summarises the findings of the ‘Shaping Southsea’ Community Participation

Events of April to June 2009.

1.1 The Events

In the spring of 2009, the University of Portsmouth collaborated with the Portsmouth City

Council (PCC), on a series of events. The first event was for PCC members and officers;

the second was a large community participatory design charrette 1 and the third was a

community feedback event.

1.2 Purpose

The events were arranged as a series of public participation activities 1. To express a

collective view of PCC members and officers for regeneration objectives 2. To support

the PCC ‘Sea Change proposal’ and most importantly 3. To express the views of the

community.

Views were sought on the regeneration of the seafront, to inform the PCC’s proposal to

CABE’s 2 ‘Sea Change’ funding programme and to build a vision for how to connect the

city’s communities to the seafront.

At the same time the events would test and evaluate the possibility of the

pedestrianisation of Palmerston Road south.

2.0 PCC Design Charrette

The first event took place on 7th April 2009 (PCC Design Charrette), where 40 members

and officers took part in a series of urban design training exercises relating to specific

issues concerned with Southsea and the seafront. These were facilitated by University

staff and students.

2.1 Outcomes

At the end of this day the PCC Design Charrette teams had identified a series of linked

activities and Ideas that would address the regeneration objectives and provide

connections for communities to the seafront. They grouped these together as:

A. Sustainable City – with sustainability at the centre of any vision for Portsmouth.

B. City of Jewels – recognizing the heritage of this richly historic city.

C. Event City – the importance of activities and events to enliven the city and its seafront.

D. City of Edges – recognising the special character of this island with its distinctly different

edge characteristics.

This event prepared a range of PCC officers and members from different backgrounds to

assist as facilitators for the next main community charrette.

3.0 Community Charrette

1 A ‘Design Charrette’ is an intense period of design activity . This version was a multidisciplinary workshop

intended to facilitate discussion between the main collaborators in the development of a community project. 2 CABE , the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment , had invited bids for their Sea Change

Funds which “aims to drive cultural and creative regeneration and economic growth in seaside resorts by

funding inspiring, creative and innovative projects”

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The main community charrette took place on Thursday 23rd, Friday 24th and Saturday

25th April 2009 at Southsea Castle. 860 members of the community took part and findings

were recorded by staff, and student helpers.

3.1 What happened at the Design Charrette.

For three days, members of Southsea community were encouraged to participate and

contribute to design ideas for the Shaping of Southsea and the City. The design charrette

was facilitated by PCC officers and UoP staff and students who, with the community

participants, worked together to express their ideas. Their thoughts were recorded around

maps of the location of Southsea and the wider city context; they were guided by

focused worksheets which highlighted key Issues relating to the regeneration of the

seafront, the city and the pedestrianisation of Palmerston Road south.

3.2 Participants.

Far more members of the public participated than had been anticipated (particularly on

the Saturday), which made it difficult to collect data.3 Whilst it was not possible to record

a complete set of demographic statistics systematically, the following observations were

made. On Thursday 23rd April 92 members of the public participated. They were

observed to be predominantly in the 40-70 age range. On Friday 24th April 81 members of

the public participated and were observed to be similar to those on the preceding day.

On Saturday 25th April 686 members of the public participated and a much more even

range of ages was observed, with participants of all ages and many family groups.4 There

was also a great deal of variety of participation, both in the time spent in participation

and the type of contribution made, all of which made data collection more complex.

3.3 Method

The ideas discussed and collected at the event were both written and drawn and have

been classified into 5 broad groups5 followed by subcategories. The percentages below

show the overall proportion of ideas and suggestions in each classification. This is broken

down further in Appendix A. Further differentiation between the 3 days is given at 3.4

below.

3.4 Outcomes

The summary of outcomes is presented below. Further detail is provided in Appendix A,

where the sub categories are explained and typical community ideas and suggestions

are recorded.

3.4.1. Activities (40.2 % overall proportion of response in this area)

'Activities' relate to the provision that both internal and external environments can

provide to facilitate and support social, cultural and recreational formal and informal

events.

3 The primary aims of the events as agreed between UoP and the PCC, was to generate ideas, discussion and

to raise the aspirations of participants. With the benefit of hindsight, it would have been useful to have found

ways, at the same time, to record more data, and this is something that was done in the later event. 4 In fact separate data were collected from a number of children who participated in the event. 5 It was these drawn and written ideas which informed the possible solutions visualised by students for the final

feedback event which are attached at Appendix B

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o Recreational Activities – More retail, leisure and associated facilities

o Cultural Activities - More festivals, art, shows performances and cultural

activities designed to provide something for everyone in the community

3.4.2. Movement & Connectivity (15.4 % overall proportion of response)

'Movement and connectivity' relates to how varying modes of transport and the shape

and form of the physical environment support and enable ease and variety of

movement, spatial intelligibility and connections of public spaces and places.

o Transport; car or public transport links/issues, also includes parking and fees,

speed limits and congestion

o Movement and mobility – this links to connectivity and access to public

places

o Connectivity - links for as many people as possible to all facilities and all areas

of the city

o Cycling – The encouragement of cycling and the provision of extra or

improved cycle lanes

3.4.3. Environment (23.1% overall proportion of response)

'Environment' relates to the quality and design of the built infrastructure. It includes both

internal and external environments and hard and soft landscaping. The quality of public

space can be described by its use and deployment materials, street furniture, lighting,

green space etc, for both the urban and natural environments.

o Pedestrianisation – Create the best possible conditions for pedestrian

movement and road safety, has aesthetic and social benefits

o Quality and enhancement of the Urban and Natural environment –

recognizing the distinctiveness of Southsea and Portsmouth

o Access for All – Freedom in shared spaces, working towards versatility by

improving access

o Maintenance - Design improvements of existing materials within the urban

realm

3.3.4. Culture & Identity (17.8 % overall proportion of response)

Culture and Identity in this context means community values and local distinctiveness.

o Branding – Local distinction and character, uniqueness, diversity and quality.

o Signage

o Social advantages and problems

o Heritage

3.3.5. Economics (3.5 % overall proportion of response)

Economics relates to regeneration opportunities that impact upon the economic

potential and economic growth.

o Regeneration Opportunities – Encouraging economic development in

struggling areas of the city & connecting these with the Seafront

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3.4 Variation for each of the days

Bearing in mind that the participants on the first two days were predominantly the 40-70

age group the variations were:

o ‘Activities’ less interest on the first two days

o ‘Movement’ most interest on second day

o ‘Environment’ same interest throughout

o ‘Culture & Identity’ most interest on first day

o ‘Economics’ little interest on the final day

The following table shows these in tabular form. The first percentage shows the relative

response on that day. The adjusted percentage takes account of the relative

importance due to numbers of people participating on the different days.

DAYS Thursday Friday Saturday Totals

Numbers of Participants 92 81 686

Activity % 34 32 42

Activities % adjusted for

numbers on day

3.6 3.0 33.5 40.2

Movement & Connectivity % 12 23 15

Movement & Connectivity %

adjusted for numbers on day

1.3 2.2 12.0 15.4

Environment % 23 24 23

Environment %

adjusted for numbers on day

2.5 2.3 18.4 23.1

Culture & Identity % 21 12 18

Culture & Identity %

adjusted for numbers on day

2.2 1.1 14.4 17.8

Economics % 10 9 2

Economics %

adjusted for numbers on day

1.1 0.8 1.6 3.5

4.0 Shaping Southsea Feedback Event.

The feedback event took place on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June 2009 at

Southsea Castle.

4.1 What happened at the Feedback Event.

Following the Community Charrette, the outcomes were distilled into a range of key ideas

generated from the community’s input. This work, carried out by UoP students and staff,

was presented at the Feedback Event as an exhibition of drawings and visualisations (see

Appendix B)

These propositions tested the direction for the seafront, which both enlivened possibilities

and debate on what this should be. The community had a further opportunity to

comment on and discuss ‘Shaping Southsea’

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4.2 Participation

Over the two days of the event 2,900 people participated and the event was recorded

by staff and students.

4.3 Outcomes.

Shaping Southsea feedback event, ‘What the People Said’ – Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th

June 2009

(2900 community participants - recorded by staff at Southsea Castle)

The Shaping Southsea Feedback Event was held at Southsea Castle. Feedback was

conveyed through a series of drawings and proposals under the heading of ‘What the

People Said’. Based upon the information from the first two Shaping Southsea events, the

participants’ ideas were distilled into a range of key ideas which were represented and

highlighted through plans and visual images produced by staff and students from the

UoP/CURe6.

The contextual information from the ‘Sea Change’ proposal was also available in A3

format for participants to view and comment upon.

These propositions tested possible directions for the seafront strategy. Participants were

asked to comment upon the appropriateness of these ideas and whether they reflected

their ‘future vision’ for Southsea and indeed the city.

At this event we were able to record age range and the area of the city from which

participants had travelled.

At the feedback event the community participants had a further opportunity to

comment and discuss the proposals put forward.

Results

In general, most of the additional comments and ideas on Activities, Movement and

Connectivity, Environment etc, reflected and reinforced the majority of the ideas,

suggestions and concerns that were put forward at the first Shaping Southsea Community

event. This event provided an opportunity for those members of the community who

could not attend that event to express their views and have these recorded.

In addition, the participants were asked to comment on the proposals put forward and

were asked whether they felt that these reflected their vision for the seafront and the city

and their ideas from the first event.

1. Overall there was a high percentage (61%) of support for the proposals put forward

(Appendix B). Many participants felt that the schemes were ambitious and that this was

a good thing. They felt that they were indicative of the city moving into the 21st century.

2. It was evident from the responses that there is an overwhelming desire to bring life back

to the seafront. Participants viewed this space as a community place that has the

potential to offer something for everyone, from children to the youth to the elderly. There

is a common view that it is being under utilised at the moment and, whilst there are some

reservations that it should not be over developed, there is a strong consensus that it has

the potential to be a cohesive force for the community and for the city.

6 See Appendix B, contains a selection of the images that were on display at this event.

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3. There was also a strong body of opinion which maintained that, whilst there is a need

to pay respect to the past, “Heritage” initiatives should not be the sole driver for

regeneration.

A further breakdown of these results can be found in Appendix D.

SHAPING SOUTHSEA FEEDBACK EVENT

Age range

Number of

'responses'

Percentage

attendance

% Agree

with

proposals

% Partly

agree

with

proposals

%

Disagree

with

Proposals

61 and over 1813 33 19 9 7

41-60 1796 33 23 8 5

26-40 1170 21 9 4 3

16 -25 478 9 6 2 0

15 and

under 231 4 4 0 0

5487 100