"A lot more needs to be done" - Suella Braverman calls on Havant Borough council to formalise the Waterlooville Masterplan
Suella Braverman has called on Havant Borough Council to formalise its Waterlooville regeneration plans quickly with national retailers holding off on committing to the town.
The MP for Fareham and Waterlooville praised the work that has been done to encourage more footfall to the town centre but has said “a lot more needs to be done”. The council have been working on a Masterplan for nearly two years with consultant Feria Urbanism starting work on it in November 2023.
Since that time, the redevelopment of Wellington Way by Questmap has been ongoing with commercial units refitted and a number of new independent businesses moving in. The likes of Babyccinos, The Exchange, Mini Town, and Balance Wellness Club among others have opened with support from the council’s vacant shop scheme.
Other developments, including the introduction of street art in the town and the holding of public events, have already taken place.
However, the masterplan remains a draft with the latest developments to be presented at a public meeting on October 29. The council have advised they do not expect the masterplan to be adopted until the middle of 2026.
While praising the work done, Suella Braverman has said it needs to be adopted quickly with national retailers not having the confidence to commit to the town until it does.
The MP told The News: “Waterlooville Town Centre is a real priority of mine, it’s the number one issue for the people of Waterlooville. We have seen some progress in recent years, we have seen the vacant shop scheme which meant new businesses could move into Waterlooville Town Centre and have a massive reduction on their rental fees.
“We have seen investment and a whole refurbishment come into Wellington Way. As a result new retailers have come into Waterlooville. There is real excitement about Waterlooville and we are moving forward in terms of attracting new business and getting more footfall.
She added: “A lot more needs to be done. We need the council to adopt the Masterplan. Havant Borough Council have a plan in draft which sets out the vision for Waterlooville. They need to move quickly to actually adopt that and make it a formal council policy.
“I speak to national retailers, national restaurant and hospitality companies, to sell Waterlooville to them and try to bring in new business. A lot of them tell me, we want to see the council adopt the Masterplan before we commit to Waterlooville. My message to the council is is to get on with adopting the Masterplan so that it is formal council policy to give confidence to outside businesses.”
The council are pleased with the progress of the regeneration in Waterlooville but are not expecting the Masterplan to be ready for adoption until the middle of next year.
Councillor Antonia Harrison, Cabinet Lead for Community Assets and Waterlooville Town Centre Regeneration, said “The Waterlooville Masterplan is an exciting project for the town centre and is a key aspiration of our Corporate Strategy and I am looking forward to seeing it develop.
“The town centre is crucial to our local economy and brings numerous benefits for the people who visit, work, trade, and live in the centre of our historic town. We have undertaken a great deal of community engagement for the masterplan, and we are already striving towards implementing several of the positive ideas and proposals, with £800k already committed to environmental improvements.
“We have seen a real surge of confidence in the town centres with events, public art and the vacant shops scheme and we will continue to work closely with companies – large and small – who would wish to invest in the town centre.
“As we look to the future of the town centre it is hoped that the Masterplan will be adopted in mid 2026.”