Havant Council plan to build 200 new homes around Public Service Plaza

Havant Council plan to build 200 new homes around Public Service Plaza

Havant Borough Council has unveiled a new vision for the town which includes 750 homes to be built around the public Service Plaza.

The council’s ambitious plans were announced as part of the council’s long-term regeneration vision for the town – with a mixture of residential, retail and leisure developments to the town.

Havant Borough Council’s deputy head leader, Tim Pike revealed that the immediate focus for the regeneration project is to first build 200 homes, with parking, on land already owned by the Public Service Plaza – with help from Homes England.

It’s ‘business as usual’ at the Meridian Shopping Centre, which the council recently bought for £4.1 million, but there are longer term plans to renovate and improve the town centre and the borough itself.

‘’We recognise that retail is rapidly changing and the town centre needs to change and improve in order to respond. However, the footfall in the town remains strong and the council will untake any necessary investment to ensure this remains the same as always.’’

The council states while their longer-term strategy will be to regenerate the Havant’s town centre, for the moment it will thoroughly support the Meridian Shopping Centre and the tenants within so that it remains as successful as possible.

Originally the 750 new homes that the Council had planned to build was not considered ‘ambitious enough’ by residents in a previous public consultation. Plans looking towards 2036 also include 1000 new parking spaces, an enhanced Billy Trail, a brand-new cycle bridge over the railway and two new town squares.

Businesses owners located in the town centre welcome the idea of renovation, however some have concerns about the towns infrastructure and whether it would be able to cope with an influx of new homes.

Owner of CJ Meats, Chris Hitchen said, ‘What I have noticed over the last 15 years is they have built that big retail park but there’s no infrastructure. The road structure isn’t strong enough to take it, they need to be mindful of that.

Havant Borough Council, as part of the launch, has set up a new website and video which showcases their vision for town centres future at www.havewithhavant.co.uk