Press Release

15 December 2023

Record number of participants join town centre consultation

Over 1,000 Fareham businesses, residents and visitors participated in Fareham Borough Council’s town centre listening exercise at the start of this month. The purpose was to understand what residents, business and visitors think about Fareham Town Centre. Strong themes have emerged about the role the town centre can play, and better support our community and attract visitors in the future.

This feedback is now being considered alongside other technical assessments to develop a business case for future regeneration activities. These findings will be shared in the New Year, and there will be further opportunities to discuss the future of Fareham during a second phase of engagement in Q1 2024.

Councillor Seán Woodward, Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, said: “We have been very pleased by the number of Fareham residents that have participated in this early listening exercise, and shared their views for how our town centre can become more vibrant, economically successful and continue to be somewhere to be proud of. The record levels of feedback are testament to the local support for this once-in-a-generation opportunity to rejuvenate our town centre right. Thank you for taking the time to share your views - whether you wrote to us, spoke to the consultation team, or completed our digital questionnaire. I look forward to reviewing the findings and to start shaping a regeneration strategy that will seize upon the opportunities you have helped identify.”

While the initial listening exercise period has closed, residents can still share views on what they like about the town centre, what they would change and determine what other uses could be incorporated at www.fareham.gov.uk/FarehamTownCentre, by emailing consultations@fareham.gov.uk or by visiting the Let’s Talk Fareham Facebook page. This activity forms part of Fareham Borough Council’s commitment to engage on the future of the town centre, following its purchase of the shopping centre in September. The council is committed to understanding what local people, residents, businesses and visitors would like to see to shape a regeneration strategy.

To support in this process, Fareham Borough Council has recruited the experience of RivingtonHark who are leading on providing strategic town centre regeneration advice. They are being aided by Leslie Jones Architecture as masterplanner and Redwood Consulting who has been working alongside the council to manage the community engagement process.

ENDS

Notes to Editor:

For more information, please contact fareham@redwoodconsulting.co.uk / 0207 828 5553.

For further information contact:

Customer Enquiries

Tel: 01329 236100
Email: customerservicecentre@fareham.gov.uk

Media Enquiries

The Communications Team
Tel: 01329 824310
Email: publicity@fareham.gov.uk
Fax: 01329 550576

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