Fareham Borough Landscape Assessment

May 1996

Character Area 33

West End

Description

The area of Fareham described as West End is formed by a large area of residential housing including public housing centred on Bishopfield Road. The northern boundary is defined by the Avenue (A27) and the southern boundary, Longfield Avenue, forms the urban edge of Fareham.

The essential characteristics of the West End are: * large residential area including a core of public housing; * large scale school and college grounds; * large areas of green space associated with schools and Fareham College, Bishopswood and Cams Alders Recreation Ground; * mixed environmental quality of the public realm, from poor quality on Bishopsfield Road to higher quality on the Avenue; * railway forms a major barrier to pedestrian movement between West End and the town centre; * large detached and semi-detached houses with large gardens located on the Avenue.

Enhancement Priorities

Because there is a wide variation in environmental quality throughout the area the emphasis shifts from a conservation priority on the Avenue towards intervention and enhancement around Bishopsfield Road.

Priorities for enhancement are: * to form a much more cohesive environmental framework connecting the better quality public areas with those in need of improvement; * to enhance the external environment around the local centre and around public housing; * to form a stronger, better quality urban edge along Longfield Avenue; * to establish better pedestrian links with the town centre; * to enhance the quality of existing public open space, school and college grounds; * to improve green links between open spaces; * to encourage facelifts to medium rise apartment blocks and school/college buildings.