Fareham police station eyed up for housing as force plans exit

Fareham police station in Quay Street is set to be closed in the near future with the borough’s neighbourhood teams set to move into the Civic Offices in April next year.

The building, which is the headquarters of Fareham Borough Council, will home both Fareham West and Fareham East neighbourhood policing teams, the neighbourhood team for Portchester and the borough’s community support officers.

Hampshire Constabulary and the council held a meeting on Thursday where they outlined the move.

Following the force’s relocation, the Council could eye up the brownfield site for housing.

Councillor Trevor Cartwright, deputy leader of the council said: ‘Once the police leave the station, the council will have a great interest in that site.

‘It is a brownfield site and with that comes the option of building housing, which of course we are very keen on.’

The council started surveying sites in and around Fareham’s town centre last month as they look to identify sites to build housing.

Another brownfield site that had previously been touted for housing in the town centre is the Osborn Road multi-storey car park.

Speaking about the police’s relocation, Cllr Cartwright added: ‘This is an exciting opportunity. It will mean that the police and the council will work closer together and that can only be a good thing for the people of Fareham.

‘We were originally targeting a Christmas date for the force to move in but now it is looking more like April next year.’

Michael Lane, Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner said: ‘We are very pleased to have agreed a way forward with Fareham Borough Council, creating a place where we can bring our teams together.

‘This partnership will continue to keep the town a safe place to live.’