Planning permission granted for Guildhall Square memorial space

The design for developing the Guildhall memorial space, at the entrance to the city centre war memorial and Victoria Park, has been granted planning permission.

Over the next year the site will become an inviting reflective space that allows the Cenotaph to be more visible and prominent from further away, whilst also being a place to sit and walk through to the park.

Proposals for the site were revealed to the public in March 2019 and included a walkway, trees, and benches.

The Cenotaph is an important focal point for memorial events in the city and work will be carried out in such a way that events can still take place. The first phase of work will see the steps being put in place ahead of Remembrance Sunday. Work will then pause during this time.

Improvements are expected to be completed ahead of the celebrations of the 75th Anniversary of VE Day next year. The Council also plans to add missing names to the war memorial to honour around 1,500 service personnel who died during the First World War but whose names did not appear. An appeal for names is in place with suggestions for a names to be considered emailed to: ww1memorialnames@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Cllr Steve Pitt, Cabinet Member for Culture and City Development, said: "The new stone paving and flowerbeds with steps down to the Cenotaph will make this a welcoming and inviting space, well suited to remembrance events.

The design is also considerate to our elderly veterans with the inclusion of removable handrails that can be put in place when needed so that visitors can pay their respects on the day. I look forward to seeing construction start this month on this lovely new space in Portsmouth."