Portsmouth university building approved despite shadow concerns

The building will house the university's business, law and humanities departments

A new £135m university teaching facility has been given the go-ahead despite concerns about the shadow it will cast on a city centre park.

Council planners approved plans for the 12-storey building on the former Victoria swimming pool site in Portsmouth.

Campaigners said the south western part of Victoria Park would have a shadow cast over it.

The University of Portsmouth said the building would be a "landmark".

The building will house the university's business, law and humanities departments with new teaching spaces and lecture theatres, as well as a restaurant and roof terrace.

Opposition to the project was led by Friends of Victoria Park which claimed it would lead to harm that the city "could not afford", by increasing shadow cover over the park, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

City council parks and landscape officers also said the building would "reduce the quality of tranquillity and refuge".

The building will contain new teaching spaces and lecture theatres, as well as a restaurant and roof terrace

The authority's planning committee granted planning permission after councillors praised the building's "exceptional' design".

Committee member Judith Smyth said: "I've got every sympathy with the people who use the park who will find the change difficult,

"I hope that they would find some benefit in having further access to the new building, which then will open up that corner which isn't used as much as the rest of the park."

The university said the building had been designed to be "sensitive" in terms of its effect on the park and that it would have "no significant impact".

Vice-chancellor Graham Galbraith said: "This new building will become a landmark in Portsmouth and a symbol of our city's commitment to learning and teaching."

Construction is expected to be completed in 2024.