Havant Borough Council has ambitious long-term plans to regenerate Havant town centre and the neighbouring civic centre campus with a phased, residential led, collaborative and transformational place-making programme; providing new homes and an enhanced public realm which incorporates existing assets such as Havant Park. The Civic Centre campus has the potential to connect the town centre with the outstanding Further Education College. Plans will also include better integration of Havant’s railway and bus stations, with the Civic Centre Campus and the wider town centre.
The redevelopment of Bulbeck Road is phase one of this largescale regeneration plan for Havant town centre. £1.65 million of grant funding was secured from the Department for Levelling Up & Communities (DHLUC) from the Brownfield Land Release Fund 2 (BLRF2) in November 2022. The funding will allow the council to initiate plans to redevelop the Bulbeck Road car park site. The underused car park will be demolished, and the site prepared for subsequent development for residential use. The project will address the aspirations of the council by bringing forward more housing whilst also kickstarting regeneration of the town centre. The final form of the housing provided is yet to be determined, but indicative modelling has proved the site capable of providing 91 high quality town centre homes.
An abridged document highlighting the vision and potential of the site can be found here Vision of Bulbeck Road.
Some FAQs on the project can be found at Bulbeck Road Redevelopment Project FAQS.
The council appreciates that large scale physical regeneration takes years to come to fruition and that we need to be proactive in supporting our town centre now. Havant town centre was one of 68 areas selected to receive support from the High Streets Task Force in February 2022. An initial visit took place in March 2023, with the task force undertaking a diagnostic assessment of the town centre, looking at the challenges and opportunities and making some suggestions to help the council move forward to unlock its potential and improve the retail and leisure offer in the town.
This was followed by two workshops; one in November 2024 and a further place-making workshop held in The Spring in February 2024. These events brought together local businesses, community groups, local Councillors and residents. The workshops focused on understanding the changes to town centres and about what can be done in Havant to ensure our town centre remains busy and welcoming.
The High Street Task Force reports for Havant include:
Havant Post Visit Report March 2023
Havant Mentor Handover Report November 2023
Havant Place Making Report February 2024
Feedback from the workshops told us that there needs to be more colour in the area and that the town centre needs to be more aesthetically pleasing. As a result, the council is working with ‘Art Up CIC’ to deliver two street art works in Havant town centre.
Residents and visitors were asked to share their views on their preferred art styles. This engagement ended on Friday 12 December 2025.
We are working with businesses and organisations to transform empty shops in Havant town centre, to create long-term solutions and encourage a wider offer to the community of Havant.
Eligible projects could receive a grant ranging from £1,000 to £50,000, depending on the size of the property, to spend on the cost to bring empty shop units back into use.
The proposed projects are required to be in the Havant town centre vacant shop scheme zone and can be from either start-up businesses or expanding businesses.
We want to encourage new uses and create a vibrant and animated atmosphere, including a wider mix of shops and facilities in the centre of our communities.
Proposals from retail, food and beverage, leisure, hospitality, arts and culture as well as professional services including health and community providers are encouraged.
View the Havant Town Centre Vacant Shop Scheme Criteria and Guidance Notes
Complete an Expression of Interest Form
Complete a Full Application Form