Major £9.5m shake-up for ‘tired’ Fareham Shopping Centre approved

More than £9.5 million is set to be poured into refurbishing Fareham Shopping Centre in a major town centre shake-up.

Plans to upgrade entrances, create a new shopping arcade, improve public squares, relocate public toilets and carry out essential maintenance works were signed off at a special executive meeting on July 22, paving the way for the next stage of the town centre project.

Council leader Cllr Simon Martin told the meeting the initial phase would focus on improvements to the shopping centre entrances to the north, south and southwest towards West Street, alongside a new arcade linking Thackeray and Westbury Squares, new WC provision and maintenance works.

He said a second phase would cover the retained east wing and the western part of the shopping centre and Delme Square, alongside further refurbishment and maintenance.

The meeting heard that both phases are set to cost upwards of £9.5 million combined.

Cllr Martin said: “Funding will be through existing capital receipts, the spending reserve and borrowing. Due to the prudent financial management and borrowing, the borrowing costs are affordable in the context of the medium term financial strategy.”

Conservative for Fareham Park, Cllr Fred Birkett said the scheme would help transform the town centre and make it an attractive location.

He said: “This is going to become a reason for people to celebrate Fareham, to come into Fareham, and to feel proud to be part of Fareham.

“It is a redesign of a shopping centre, but it is so much more than that.

“We can only do this because we’re in a position, unlike some councils close to us, that we can actually financially get behind this and make it a reality.”

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Martin said that a planning application is expected to be submitted in September, with contracts awarded later in the year and construction starting in February 2027.

He said: “There is a lot of work we have done over the last few months to make sure we have the right look and design for the shopping centre.

“I am looking forward to regenerating the town centre – we recognise it is tired. I came to Fareham 40 years ago, and it has not changed a lot.”

The regeneration scheme is expected to take between 15 and 20 years to fully complete.

As part of the plans, several long-standing retail units — including the former Debenhams store, B&M, Krews Kandy and Millets — would be relocated for new housing.