Quality before quantity

Returning to Portsmouth and leaving the motorway at what was Mile End, I cut across the city in a never-attempted-before route towards Lake Road and witnessed housing overcrowding that is unacceptable.

Having been born and brought up in working class areas of Milton,

I’ve always been aware of deprived parts of Portsmouth but these were streets of single unit housing.

Whilst skyscraper blocks are obvious citywide, the lesser, much older blocks packed in across this segment were staggering in their density, proximity to each other, lack of privacy and their vast numbers – truly eyeopening.

Is it not time for city fathers to say ‘enough is enough – Portsmouth is full’?

It’s hard to imagine that areas as packed with human beings as this get the facilities they deserve be it medical, policing or basic council services.

Children growing up in stifling, overcrowded environments must long for full-time work for a daily fix of normality.

City planners, architects, builders and government suppliers of finance should all take a hard look at these environments echoed across our nation. They should also take a hard look at their consciences too.

Overcrowding and a lack of personal privacy is acknowledged worldwide as a major cause of stress, angst and friction between human beings.

Reading of thousands of homes planned at Tipner I suggest residents insist on quality of life before quantity of profits and smug planners fulfilling quotas.

Jon Cole Blount Road Portsmouth

Is it not time for city fathers to say ‘Portsmouth is full’?