Stubbington Study Centre: Despair over plans to close beloved centre and replace it with a children's home

Hampshire County Council has proposed closing Stubbington Study Centre so it can build a new children’s home built on the site. The council said the home would be a new specialist and secure welfare facility in Stubbington Lane. The proposal aims to help the council meet the increasing need for residential care to support the most vulnerable children and young people locally and nationally.

If approved, the outdoor learning activities currently provided at Stubbington Study Centre, including residential visits for schools and other groups, would need to cease in September 2025.

It would replace the aging Swanwick Lodge, the county council’s only specialist children’s home which provides a safe and secure, therapeutic environment for up to ten of the most vulnerable children from Hampshire and across the country with an increased capacity of 18 children.

Gosport’s MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said she is concerned about the closure and despite understanding the council’s needs, Stubbington is not “at the detriment of other well-used local educational facilities”.

The Conservative MP said: “Stubbington Study Centre has provided educational opportunities and new skills to tens of thousands of children for over 80 years.

“Many constituents in Gosport, Lee on the Solent, Stubbington and Hill Head would have visited Stubbington Study Centre themselves as young people and will hold it in a special place in their heart.

“I am concerned about the proposed closure of this site and, whilst I understand investment is needed in residential care for Hampshire’s children, this should not be at the detriment of other well-used local educational facilities.”

Richard Foster, a resident of Hampshire, said the “beloved” centre holds “immeasurable immeasurable” value for children, the community, and “the generations of families who have cherished their time there”. Mr Foster added that Stubbington has been “a sanctuary for decades for young minds to explore, learn, and grow”.

He said: “It’s not just a place – it’s an experience. From outdoor adventures to environmental education, this centre has ignited a love for nature and teamwork in countless children. It’s a vital resource, especially in a time when connecting with nature is more important than ever.

“Families across generations have treasured memories of Stubbington. Parents who once stayed there as children now send their own kids to create their own memories.”

Urging people to oppose the council’s plan, he said losing the centre would mean “losing a piece of our collective history and a chance for future generations to experience its magic”.

As a result of the proposal, the hashtag #SaveStubbingtonStudyCentre has emerged to prevent the closure of the centre.

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On Facebook, Whiteley Primary School has encouraged parents to comment on the county council proposal. One comment from Barry Turl said he stayed in Stubbington in 1959 and remembered having a “great experience”.

Hampshire County Council has said it has put forward the place to meet to provide a specialist residential care home for children, and that while the Stubbington site was popular there were other activity centres in the county which schools could use instead.

Councillor Nick Adams-King, Leader of the county council, said: “Like other local authorities, we are seeing rising demand for highly specialist residential care, growing complexity in children’s needs – and a shortage of suitable placements to support them. We now have a unique, once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a new, state-of-the-art residential home here in Hampshire, enabling our most vulnerable children to benefit from the best possible facilities while also boosting the specialist provision available nationally.

“At the same time, we recognise that Stubbington Study Centre, while not a legal obligation for the county council to provide, is a much used and popular facility. In potentially repurposing the site, we must ensure that schools and other users can continue to access good outdoor learning opportunities, which we know are so beneficial to children’s development and wellbeing.

“There is a strong existing market of alternative providers in the local area, and we are keen to understand the views of schools and other users on both the potential benefits and challenges of sourcing outdoor learning activities from these in future. This will help us to plan for and mitigate any impacts that these changes may have on schools, other groups and individuals, ensuring that their needs continue to be met should the site be repurposed for a much-needed new specialist children’s home.”

Schools, other organisations, and individuals have until Monday, February 10 to share their feedback using the online form on the county council’s website.

Alternatively, responses can be emailed directly to [email protected].