Former Havant landfill site is sold to create up to 650 new jobs

Havant Borough Council has negotiated the sale of Brockhampton West, located off Harts Farm Way, just south of the A27.

The land was earmarked for development in the council’s local plan, advertised as a ‘gateway’ employment site overlooking Langstone Harbour.

It is hoped that any new development will bring plenty of jobs to the town, enhancing the commercial offers in Havant.

Councillor Michael Wilson, leader of Havant Borough Council, said: ‘The sale of this site shows the council's determination in reaching its ambitious regeneration goals.

‘Raising capital to support new projects – whilst also bringing new employment opportunities to the borough – makes excellent use of a site now surplus to council needs.’

According to the council’s local plan, the site could generate between 334 and 650 jobs, using the area for manufacturing or warehouse floorspace.

Any development on the 23-acre land will still require planning permission, and the impact of construction on protected Brent geese – which migrate to the area – will have to be mitigated.

Brockhampton West was transformed into a landfill site in 1969, and was used as such until the mid-1990s.

It has since served as a community football pitch, but over the past couple of years it has fallen into disrepair.

The green space was marked as a key strategic site in the council’s Opportunity Havant Regeneration Strategy, sitting near Basepoint Business Centre, Budds Farm and Havant Lorry Park.

But the sale price of Brockhampton West, and who the buyer was, is not known at this time.

Chairman of the Havant Civic Society, Bob Comlay, says the council has to be more transparent about big moves such as this.

He said: ‘It’s clearly something that people should probably know more about, so this needs to be dealt with.

‘What’s happened at Brockhampton West is just another example of the council not being completely open with residents about what they are doing.

‘There’s a lack of transparency, but also people would be interested to know what could be coming to the town.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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