Ambitious plans to revamp Havant

Hundreds of new homes could be built in Havant as part of a council’s ambitious plan to drive ‘transformational’ growth across the borough.

Havant Borough Council will discuss plans to regenerate the town centre and Hayling Island seafront as part of a new strategy to deliver economic growth.

In the strategy document foreword, Councillor Tim Pike, cabinet lead for regeneration and estates said: ‘This strategy sets out our ambitions to create sustainable places, successful people and better businesses across the borough, so that all of our communities can share in our future economic growth and prosperity.

‘We face new economic challenges and, like the rest of the UK, our retail centres have been significantly impacted. We need to repurpose our town centres and respond to the new environment in which we live.

‘Regeneration takes time and patience. We need to put the building blocks in place to enable long term, sustainable and transformational growth, but we also need to deliver real and tangible change at pace.’

The key projects for the scheme include a new vision for the civic plaza – creating 501 new homes in the town centre location with quiet routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

Similarly, the Bulbeck Road car park could be transformed into a multi-storey apartment complex with a shared garden and rooftop terraces.

The proposed regeneration of the Hayling Island seafront would see West Beach connected to Eastoke through Beachlands via public transport links and new footpaths.

West Beach, which has been described as the kitesurfing capital of the UK, will focus on watersports and other activities while maintaining ‘a quiet, open and natural area’.

Beachlands could serve as the central location for the seafront, promoting community and leisure opportunities such as new residential units and public spaces for outdoor events and markets.

Eastoke would also provide public spaces for bars and dining, pedestrian-friendly streets and a new beachfront promenade.

Going forward, the council will focus on ‘catalyst projects’ that make up the early phase of the strategy – the delivery window for the scheme is set for 2022 – 2036.