What next for axed Ashcroft Arts Centre as Hampshire County Council names new owners
The sale of the former Ashcroft Arts Centre to a commercial developer was the “best financial” move for a council, a report has said.
Hampshire County Council approved the sale of the Fareham site earlier this year as part of cost-saving measures to help reduce its budget deficit.
The centre, on Osborn Road, is a former primary school that had been operated by the Hampshire Cultural Trust before the trust disposed of the site in March 2025.
Its closure followed the county council’s decision to cut the trust’s budget by £600,000.
A new report has now confirmed that the site has been sold to the Harkalm Group, a commercial property investor and developer specialising in the retail, education, food-store and roadside sectors.
According to the council the offer has demonstrated to provide the “best financial consideration to the council.”
Ashcroft Arts Centre had long been a popular venue for residents, offering arts activities, classes and community events. A petition was launched to save the centre, with supporters calling it a “vital” part of Fareham’s heritage.
Over the summer, Hopscotch Day Nursery Group submitted a planning application to Fareham Borough Council to convert the building into a nursery for up to 90 children.
According to the design and access statement, the plans would bring much-needed investment to the site, including dedicated nursery rooms, sensory and mental-health support spaces, and a community café.
Hopscotch currently operates ten nurseries across Hampshire, including three in the Fareham area.