Portsmouth new homes plan for tower blocks site

About 800 residents were moved out of Leamington House and Horatia House last year

More than 400 new homes could replace two condemned tower blocks as part of a £120m project.

Cladding was removed from Leamington House and Horatia House in Portsmouth following London's Grenfell tragedy.

But after it was estimated work to strengthen the buildings would cost £86m, Portsmouth City Council said they would be demolished, and 800 residents were moved out of the 272 flats.

The authority now wants to construct 440 homes at the site in Somers Town.

Plans to bring the landmark blocks down were approved in February last year.

It is proposed at least 272 of the new homes will be rented as social housing.

Darren Sanders, head of housing at Portsmouth City Council, said: "We need an ambitious plan for the site that not only meets the dreams of people in Somers Town and the city as a whole, but can be delivered."

Cladding was removed from both blocks following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017

The council's cabinet is due to decide on Tuesday whether to proceed with the deconstruction of the existing blocks - a process that will see them taken apart panel by panel over the course of a year.

It is thought this could start in 2021 at a cost of £10m.

Funding for the whole scheme will then need to be considered by the full council.

Portsmouth housing activist and city councillor Cal Corkery said: "There's an urgent need to replace the social housing that will be lost.

"I know there's been an initial consultation but I think we've got to go beyond that. I would like local residents to be elected to the project board to make sure they can have their say."

The council said further consultation was planned.