New chapter for landmark industrial hub
A comprehensive masterplan for the regeneration of Langstone Park in Havant has received a unanimous resolution to grant consent. Once home to IBM’s first factory in England, the park is a major employment hub for the defence and IT industry and will undergo a phased redevelopment. The vision will attract new businesses and job opportunities into the area. High-quality units and industrial floorspace will be provided, aimed at accommodating a range of uses, including research and development, light industrial, manufacturing, storage and distribution.
Helping to safeguard the site’s long-term economic potential, Motion supported developer XLB Property with transport planning expertise. According to Tony Lawson, Partner at XLB Property, “We have worked with Motion since acquiring Langstone Park in 2020. The team has been instrumental in helping us secure consent for our masterplan of circa 700,000 square feet of industrial and employment space.” Tony adds, “The hands-on approach, technical insight and relationship with Hampshire County Council has been indispensable.”
Access and active travel optimised
A challenge for the team was managing traffic flows and access to the site. The eastern access leads to Hayling Island, which is a well-known local choke point, and sensitive to additional traffic.
Principal Transport Planner, Calum McGoff, recalls, “In order to overcome the problem we agreed a system of automatic number plate recognition and barriers at all entrance points.” Calum continues, “To limit numbers, only an approved list of people can use the eastern access. This will encourage drivers to travel westbound, where there are better connections to the motorway network.”
Motion’s proposals included a package of active travel improvements with a network of footways and cycle routes that will benefit both users of the site and the wider community. The infrastructure team is designing the upgrades to deliver safe access and movement for pedestrians and cyclists.
Sustainability impact:
- Location of the site suitable for active travel – reducing the need for private car use
- Energy efficient buildings – capable of operating at net-zero carbon
An abridged version of this article first appeared in Issue 25 of Insight
