Regeneration plans to boost Waterlooville and Havant town centres are outlined

Councillor Alex Rennie, leader of Havant Borough Council submitted a report to members of Havant Borough Council last week which provided an update on the council’s regeneration priorities.

These include looking at what is needed in both town centres and seeing funding and investment is available which will help to bring about improvements.

Waterlooville Town Centre

Cllr Rennie said that Waterlooville continues to be ‘an important priority’ as the council has appointed a regeneration officer to ‘focus solely on the town centre’ which has suffered with a large number of chains leaving the town in recent years – including Waitrose.

Residents are also awaiting the outcome of a scheme for the Wellington Way shopping area and are also hopeful that aspirations of more leisure facilities for the town will materialise.

Cllr Rennie added: ‘Work is currently underway to look at both short-term actions and the development of a masterplan to guide longer-term change.

‘We are currently developing an Invitation to Tender (ITT) and specification for the work on vision and master planning, which is planned to be launched for procuring the specialist service required at the end of June 23.

‘The plan will be to have the visioning and master plan work completed by Winter 2023/24. There is also an opportunity this would work well if the call for the Levelling Up Fund (LUF) round 3 bid is launched later this year as anticipated.’

Cllr Rennie went on to update the council on other opportunities including the Dunsbury Park Freeport – a normal trading port where normal taxes and customs don’t apply.

Three units were constructed in April with negotiations with potential occupiers underway.

ALSO READ: Plans for new primary school in Waterlooville to accommodate growing size of the town

Havant Town Centre

Havant’s town centre was selected to be part of the government’s High Street Task Force (HSTF), the report explained. The task force is a consultancy scheme that offers bespoke advice and strategies to address local challenges and enact positive change in high streets and town centres.

Cllr Rennie said following a diagnostic site visit by HSTF expert Dr Jo Morrison, the council received a report which ‘identified the lack of an organisation or group to take responsibility for the town centre as the main barrier to transformation in Havant.’

He added: ‘Recommendations focused on addressing this key issue with an offer of further mentoring support to assist. Officers are currently liaising with the HSTF to put this mentoring in place and take the work forwards.’

ALSO READ: Pop-in community hub aims to help people on the road to happier and healthy lives