A Sunday Times article on September 6 highlighted the issue of 'shoebox living', illustrated by a plan of six 'flats' in Southampton in a conversion from a former gas showroom. Retail unit converted to tiny flats in Shirley, Southampton. Developers are exploiting planning laws to convert empty banks, takeaways and barbers into tiny flats, causing … Continue reading Shoebox living – A warning for Havant?
Category: Architecture
North Street Arcade and its nitrate bill
You may have noticed the changes taking place during lock-down at the front of the North Street Arcade site. During the lockdown, the ill-starred Grastar Restaurant unit has been divided into two separate retail units while the former Dominos site has also been refurbished as a retail unit. The new flank walls suggest that the … Continue reading North Street Arcade and its nitrate bill
Behind the boards at the Wessex site
There's more concrete pumping going on this morning as the foundations take shape quickly now, burying for good the eyesore which was the Wessex Construction yard. We still think it rather a sad that more effort wasn't put into investigation of the industrial archaeology of the old town gas works now long gone, briefly visible … Continue reading Behind the boards at the Wessex site
Latest update on the Colt site
As you may have seen in today's Portsmouth News, Southampton based Drew Smith Homes have been awarded funding by Homes England to construct 95 homes on the former Colt site in New Lane, half of which will be offered as 'affordable homes'. It's difficult to make much sense of the illustration included on the press … Continue reading Latest update on the Colt site
The “Railway Cottages”, Langstone Road.
Following the disastrous fire last December, a planning application has recently been submitted for their rebuilding. The site is more formally known as 59 & 61 Langstone Road. The term "Railway Cottages" is something of a misnomer, as the cottages were late 18th century and thus predated the Hayling Billy line by 70+ years. It … Continue reading The “Railway Cottages”, Langstone Road.
A subterranean surprise at the Wessex site
Demolition at the Wessex site had been proceeding at a steady rate until the machinery struck thin air, exposing a large chamber about three metres deep on the site of the large workshop building on the New Lane side. The surprise find has been tentatively identified as the site of a coke oven, a Victorian … Continue reading A subterranean surprise at the Wessex site
The Gazebo Garden Open Day – June 15th
Langstone Technology Park – DCF comments
Yesterday afternoon I went along to the Civic Plaza to observe the Development Consultation Forum discussion regarding proposed development at Langstone Technology Park. In the early seventies, this was the site which put Havant firmly on the global map as a centre of high technology manufacturing and information services. We'd already seen the international success … Continue reading Langstone Technology Park – DCF comments
Is there a future for the original IBM Havant site buildings?
Back in January, we reported on a move to list the former IBM Havant Plant buildings at what is now the Langstone Technology Park. If such a move is to bear fruit, it can't come soon enough. Havant Borough Council's Development Consultation Forum #48 will consider the future of this site on Tuesday 21st May … Continue reading Is there a future for the original IBM Havant site buildings?
A very big ‘Thank You’ to all our Waitrose shoppers!
A big vote of thanks to Waitrose and Partners for their generosity to the local community! To all of you HCS members, friends, relatives or just casual shoppers with an interest in our 'Secret Garden', you've managed to raise a terrific total of £480 on the Community Matters - 'green token' - Scheme at Waitrose … Continue reading A very big ‘Thank You’ to all our Waitrose shoppers!
Havant Civic Society 
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