The development has not been welcomed by city groups

The owners of Gunwharf - the Berkeley Group - want to add the high density housing to the site which already includes a shopping and leisure complex.

Council officers are in favour of the proposals which would see the demolition of one of the few remaining historic buildings on the site.

But the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment describes the plans as "perverse" while English Heritage says they are "bland and monotonous".

'Crammed site'

The Portsmouth Society, an independent body which promotes good design in the city, has also criticised the plans.

A spokesman from the society said: "The proposed blocks are just not good enough in design for such an important location.

"So much more has already been crammed onto the site than first envisaged.

"The buildings and landscaping are poorly designed, and unsustainable in terms of energy consumption."

But the Berkeley Group said the development was important for the city because it would create hundreds of jobs and more than 25% of the homes would be for key workers.

The Ministry of Defence sold the Gunwharf site to the Berkeley Group in 1996 which developed it into a retail and leisure complex.