The University of Portsmouth are likely to put their Milton Campus up for sale, as the business school, the largest user is being re-housed in the big new building in Portsea. Meanwhile the planning department have put out a planning brief which is very much for consultation.

On the subject of demolition or re-use of existing buildings, the brief states "The City Council does not have a specific preference to either of these options". This uncertainty hangs on the future of the special schools. If they are to be rebuilt on a new site rather than kept where they are, this appears to be about the only possible site. We are in favour of retaining the Foster Building and the Dymond Building and retaining the walled garden - as part of the open space required in the case of a residential option.

For the Foster Building, which is said to be difficult to adapt, we think that facading would be an acceptable alternative to complete retention. We think also that the Dymond Building should be considered as a replacement for the Reginald Road Arts Centre which is threatened with closure.

We are very much against the idea of using part of Milton Park as a substitute for open space within the site. The main purpose of open space within a residential development is to serve small children. Milton Park can be reached from the site only by crossing Milton Road and this is surely out of the question.

Roger James