Portsmouth residents face possible move from four tower blocks

beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team 2026-07-28 13:02 3 min read

Modern high-rise apartment tower blocks standing against a clear blue sky.

Residents in four Portsmouth council tower blocks could be rehoused over a four-year period if proposals to take the buildings out of use by 2030 are approved.

The plan affects households living in Tipton House, Edgbaston House, Barkis House and Nickleby House. Portsmouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness is due to consider the proposal on 5 August 2026. No final decision has yet been announced.

Four Large Panel System blocks affected

The four buildings were constructed using Large Panel System (LPS), a method used to build high-rise blocks from large prefabricated concrete panels.

Surveys found the blocks are safe, but extensive work would be needed to ensure they meet current and future building laws and regulations. Portsmouth Homes, the council’s social housing landlord, has assessed whether the buildings could be upgraded while residents remained in place.

It concluded that the work would be so extensive that residents would need to leave their homes for long periods in any case. The improvements would also add only a limited amount of life to the buildings, leading Portsmouth Homes to propose phased rehousing as the longer-term option.

A fifth LPS block, Wilmcote House, is not included in the proposed closure programme. It was extensively refurbished in 2019 and requires only planned improvements through the building safety programme.

Rehousing would take place in phases

If approved, residents of the four affected blocks would be supported to move over four years. The buildings would then be taken out of use, while the phased approach would allow time for replacement homes designed to last for many decades to be created.

Portsmouth residents face possible move from four tower blocks

The proposal does not mean residents would be required to move immediately. Portsmouth Homes has acknowledged that the prospect of moving will be unsettling and says dedicated support is intended to be available to every household throughout the process.

Residents are being contacted directly to discuss the proposals and possible rehousing arrangements. The supplied council information does not yet set out individual moving dates or the details of how replacement homes would be allocated.

Cabinet decision due on 5 August

The proposal will be considered by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness at Portsmouth Homes on 5 August 2026. A council report sets out the details of the proposed phased programme and the reasons for taking the four blocks out of use.

Cllr Darren Sanders, Cabinet Member for Housing and Tackling Homelessness, said the blocks are safe but bringing them up to modern standards would mean residents leaving their homes for a long time. He said a phased plan would allow that process to happen over a longer period while enabling replacement homes to be created.

Residents seeking further information can contact Portsmouth City Council on 02392 84 1674 or email [email protected].

Source: Portsmouth City Council

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The report was checked against the supplied Portsmouth City Council announcement, including the affected buildings, timetable and contact details.

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