Fareham

The attractive place to live and work

A superb location

Situated on the Solent coastline, the Borough of Fareham covers an area of nearly 30 square miles and has a population of 108,000.

Travel links are excellent. The M27 motorway gives easy access to Southampton and Portsmouth, and from there to London via the M3 and A3(M). You’ll find regular fast train services to the above, and Southampton and Bournemouth airports are also within easy reach.

Fareham itself combines the very best of old and new, with a fine Georgian high street complemented by a new entertainment and shopping complex. Recently the Borough also became the overall regional winner of the 2008 South and South East in Bloom award, with Fareham’s Sensory Garden (a tribute to Princess Diana) gaining a gold award as the Best Small Park.

A fascinating history

Fareham’s origins date back to a small settlement that was developed before Roman times around a crossing point of the River Wallington. The Romans arrived in the area around 43AD and built a large fortress at Portchester to defend Portsmouth Harbour. You can visit its stunning ruins today and experience the wonderful views across to the Isle of Wight.

For many centuries the town was a flourishing seaport, but by the start of the 20th century it had established itself as a major market town. Later, in the 1960s, it experienced a huge amount of development – housing many people who were looking to move away from the traditional urban centres of Portsmouth and Southampton. Today, it has become increasingly popular as a place to live, with varied housing and plentiful open space.

A great lifestyle

With all types of housing and good schools, Fareham has all the facilities and natural attractions that make living and working in the area a real pleasure.

Shoppers are well looked after. The town itself offers all the big high street names as well as a range of individual speciality shops, with an open-air market every Monday. Film lovers will enjoy the five-screen cinema complex, while the well-equipped leisure centre boasts a state-of-the-art gym and multi-use sports hall as well as a swimming pool, squash and tennis courts. And when you want to eat out, there’s a wide selection of restaurants and picturesque pubs to choose from – some in beautiful countryside settings or with magnificent sea views.

If you fancy getting away from it all, the area has plenty to tempt you. Try a leisurely stroll in the nearby Forest of Bere or Holly Hill Woodland Park, experience the sea views from Hill Head to Lee-on-the-Solent or watch the wildlife at the Brownwich and Chilling nature reserve. A number of beautiful villages are also tucked away. Warsash – famed as a sailing centre – features a wonderful collection of quaint streets and waterside inns. The streets of Titchfield contain many historic buildings dating from the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries grouped around a large square, and the ruins of its famous Abbey to the north of the village date back to 1232. Meanwhile, you can admire the quintessential village green at Sarisbury, complete with cricket pitch. One other location of note is Swanwick, which is home to the NATS Air Traffic Control Centre. The largest purpose-built centre of its type in the world, it handles two million flights per year carrying some 220 million passengers.