About Us

Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust is a charitable property company responsible for the conservation and re-use of the buildings in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which is the publicly accessible part of Portsmouth Naval Base. It holds a 99-year lease of the area from the Ministry of Defence and sub-lets property to the Historic Dockyard attractions and to commercial tenants.

The Trust's main function is that of landlord and guardian of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The majority of buildings and structures in the Historic Dockyard are Grade 1 and Grade 2* Listed Buildings. The Trust is responsible for keeping the historic building in a good state of repair, for collecting rent and service charges from its tenants, and for refurbishing empty or redundant buildings for appropriate new commercial uses. This ensures that the historic buildings and structures are safeguarded for the enjoyment of future generations.

The Trust also owns and operates the Historic Dockyard Car Park along with some retail units at Admiralty Quarter on Queen Street.

The Trust received an initial government endowment to start putting the Historic Dockyard buildings into a reasonable state of repair, and now generates funding from donations, grants, trading income, property development, rents and service charges, and income from investments.

Aims of the Trust

The following is a list of the Trust's aims in relation to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, although its remit also extends to sites elsewhere.

• To restore and find appropriate uses for buildings and structures of outstanding architectural and historic interest related to HM Naval Base in the Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire area
• To extend the estate as surplus Ministry of Defence land and buildings become available
• To create an enduring maritime heritage centre of the highest class in the Historic Dockyard at Portsmouth, so that it may be enjoyed by the public for generations to come
• to protect the ethos of the Historic Dockyard and of any other related historic estate so that new development, or further commercial activity, is sensitive to its unique atmosphere
• to set and maintain the highest standards in education, interpretation and collections
• to enhance public awareness of the role of civilian workforce in supporting the Royal Navy by promoting the establishment of a Museum of the Dockyard
• to ensure that visitors have a comprehensive and enjoyable experience of the Historic Dockyard