 Ambitions and plans to create a more vibrant, welcoming and greener city centre that has the flexibility to evolve with the time, have been unveiled. Residents and businesses are invited to get involved in reimagining the city centre and share their ideas and priorities.
To support its ambitions, the council has submitted a bid for over £19 million from the Levelling Up Fund to spearhead improvements that would see new creative community spaces, better facilities, and greener, more welcoming streets - breathing new life into areas like Guildhall Walk that have felt the impact of changing habits and the coronavirus pandemic. If successful, the bid would also support a major refurbishment of The Guildhall and the Theatre Royal.
The north of the city centre will see some of the biggest changes. The council is working on proposals for new homes, a large open green space and new walking and cycling routes.
 Lakeside North Harbour, Portsmouth’s leading workspace, has announced a major lettings deal as SCIENION, a leading manufacturer of next-generation technology for use in diagnostics and life sciences, leases 10,600 sq ft of space.
Founded over 20 years ago in Berlin, Germany, continued growth has led the life sciences and medical diagnostics manufacturer to expand its facilities across Europe, the UK and the U.S.
SCIENION’s technology has been used to manufacture millions of diagnostic devices per year. Notably, its equipment contributed to the global effort to manage the COVID-19 health crisis, used to manufacture PCR and antibody tests.
SCIENION relocated its UK facility from Chichester to Lakeside following a period of rapid growth, joining a diverse collection of existing occupiers already benefiting from Lakeside’s modern facilities, unique surroundings and vibrant community, including IBM, Virgin Media, Capita and Markerstudy Broking. SCIENION employs more than 350 scientific, manufacturing and support staff.
 Construction is set to begin next month on a trio of art units at Dunsbury Park, representing the first new facilities of this type to be built within the Solent Freeport.
The three will total more than 77,000 sq ft of industrial and manufacturing space and will be ready for businesses to move in from early 2023. Each will target the highest environmental standards with a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Councillor Steve Pitt, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Economic Development at Portsmouth City Council, said
"Dunsbury Park presents a fantastic opportunity for businesses to take dual advantage of state-of-the-art industrial space and being part of the Solent Freeport cluster.
"This is the Solent Freeport's first fully-functioning, construction-ready tax zone and these new units will unlock freeport opportunities for more businesses."
 A support scheme offering Government-backed loans to small businesses will be extended for a further two years.
The £4.5 billion scheme is only open to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK. Loans are available through a network of accredited lenders, listed on the British Business Bank’s website. Once received, the finance can be used for any legitimate business purpose, including growth and investment.
The maximum amount of finance available is £2 million per business. The actual amount offered and the terms are at the discretion of participating lenders. The guarantee coverage that the Government will provide to lenders is 70%.
 Planned solar project at Lakeside
A new £30 million low-carbon projects fund has been approved by the council. This investment in renewable energy could help businesses across the city improve their energy efficiency.
Funding will be structured so the council generates income from projects over the long term, while everyone can benefit from reduced carbon emissions, energy expenditure and, depending on the schemes taken forward, potentially cleaner air.
The proposals build on the council’s existing successes in energy investments which reduce emissions by 2,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and create annual savings of around £2 million, brought about through a range of improvements and investments, including the largest rooftop solar investment from any council in the country.
 Maritime UK Solent has launched its awards for companies in the Solent region to celebrate and gain recognition for their contribution to the continued success of the sector.
The inaugural awards are organised by Maritime UK Solent, the voice of the region’s maritime sector providing leadership for a thriving maritime region. The launch of the awards coincides with the publication of Maritime UK Solent’s first Business Plan, articulating a vision for the continued success of the maritime sector in the Solent through growth, collaboration, and by highlighting the Solent’s maritime strengths and innovation on a national and international stage.
The awards are open for submission from 22 July to 26 August with the winners announced at a ceremony on 14 October at the Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton.
Stuart Baker, Managing Director at Maritime UK Solent, said:
“We’re very excited to be inviting businesses and those working in the sector to take part in our inaugural awards. Our mission at Maritime UK Solent is to shine a light on the Solent’s incredible maritime sector and ensure its continued success."
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