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SITE NAME DAEDALUS
LOCATION The site lies to the north and north west of Lee-on-The-Solent.
LOCAL AUTHORITY Gosport Borough Council
SIZE Total area is 200 ha. The majority of the site comprising of runways and some isolated airfield buildings (160 ha) is in Fareham Borough. The remainder (40 ha) is within Gosport.
OWNERSHIP Site purchase by South East of England Development Agency (SEEDA) and the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA)
STATUS Allocated for mixed uses (R/DP4) (Gosport Borough Local Plan Review)
ACCESS The main road link from Daedalus to Junction 11 of the M27 (7km) is via Broom Way and along Newgate Lane (B3385). Fareham railway station is about 5.5 kilometres to the north of the Daedalus site.

A number of bus routes serve the Lee-on-the-Solent and Stubbington area with links to Gosport Town Centre and a regular ferry service to Portsmouth and main line railway services from Portsmouth Harbour.
RELEVANT HISTORY The Daedalus establishment was finally declared surplus by the Ministry of Defence in 2004. SEEDA and MCA purchased the site in March 2006 with a small part of the site retained by Defence Estates for service personnel housing.

The local authorities are discussing with SEEDA and other partners potential future uses for the site. The Borough Council will be preparing a Daedalus Supplementary Planning Document for the Gosport part of the site to replace the Daedalus Development Strategy produced in 1997.
STRENGTHS & OPPORTUNITIES
  • Part of the site occupies a prominent location on the Lee-on-the-Solent seafront with impressive views across the Solent and the Isle of Wight
  • Hotel could form part of a large mixed use site with significant employment uses on part of the site including a business park with other opportunities for leisure uses to diversify visitor attractions in Lee-on-the Solent.
  • Possible linkages with aviation uses linked to existing users of the adjacent airfield operated by the MCA.
  • Part of the Daedalus site is within a Conservation Area and contains a number of historic building which have the potential to be converted.
  • Close proximity to beach and watersport facilities.
  • The site is adjacent the Solent Way long distance footpath and close to the Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve and the proposed Alver Valley Country Park.
  • Other attractions in the area include the Royal Naval Submarine Museum, Explosion!-The Museum of Naval Firepower and the Historic Naval Dockyards including HMS Victory.
  • Local facilities including shops and restaurants located in close proximity in Lee.
CONSTRAINTS Variety of existing buildings on site. Building height restrictions due to the proximity of airfield.
TIMESCALE Short to medium term
CONTACT DETAILS Ken Glendinning, Senior Regeneration Manager, SEEDA, 01483 484 267 kenglendinning@seeda.co.uk
Lynda Dine, Head of Economic Prosperity, 02392 545231 lynda.dine@gosport.gov.uk
Chris Payne, Head of Planning Policy, 02392 545216 chris.payne@gosport.gov.uk