Specialist housebuilder and brownfield developer Inland Homes has welcomed dignitaries from Southampton City Council to a ceremony held to celebrate breaking ground at the new Meridian Waterside development, on the banks of the River Itchen.
Attendees at the event visited the site of the former Meridian TV Studios on the western side of the Northam Bridge to mark the significant progress being made on the 350 home scheme.
Meridian Waterside is one of Southampton’s main regeneration opportunities and will form a new gateway into the city from the east. Inland Homes is planning one, two and three bedroom properties, set in extensive courtyard gardens over two to thirteen floors, as well as a convenience store and commercial space. There will also be a new publicly accessible park set alongside the Northam Road, which will enable access to a new riverside walk.
As part of the flagship development a considerable amount of flood protection will be created across the river frontage.
Connectivity to the waterfront will also be prioritised, with new roads, redesigned streets and widened public walkways opening up this part of the river to the public for the first time.
Inland Homes is also the approved developer for the Chapel Riverside site, located down the River Itchen at the former town depot in Southampton, in conjunction with Southampton City Council. The two sites when developed will kick-start the long term regeneration plans for Itchen Riverside, as identified by Southampton City in its ‘VIP’ programme.
The ground breaking ceremony at Meridian Waterside took place on the same day as a high-profile debate at Southampton Football Club to discuss the future development of Southampton. The ‘City Talks’ event, run by leading business magazine Estates Gazette in conjunction with Southampton City Council, saw investors and developers from across the UK pose questions to a panel including Inland Homes’ Land Director Paul Brett.
Inland Homes’ Managing Director, Gary Skinner says; “It is appropriate that on the day we celebrated this significant milestone at Meridian Waterside, delegates from far and wide came to Southampton to discuss ongoing regeneration in the city. I hope the debate made it clear to them, as it has been clear to us, what potential this great city has to offer.”
Chief Executive of Southampton City Council, Dawn Baxendale said: ““The ceremony of ground-breaking at the Meridian Waterside residential development area heralds the start of another of Southampton City Council’s ‘Very Important Projects’ as part of its ambitious plan for economic growth and development within the city. Our ongoing partnership with Inland Homes plc is part of a radical scheme of improvement in the waterfront areas of Southampton.
“The creation of 350 new homes is the first step in the regeneration of the Itchen Riverside VIP area, which is one of seven key areas that will re-shape the landscape of the city, creating new jobs and promoting further investment in Southampton.”
The first phase of development at Meridian Waterside will include new roads and 54 homes. It is anticipated that the first units will be available by autumn.