Fareham shopping centre to be partly demolished in £9.5m revamp

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 04:01 · Archive

Fareham Borough Council plans to demolish about a third of Fareham Shopping Centre as part of a £9.5 million upgrade.

Fareham Borough Council plans to demolish around a third of Fareham Shopping Centre as part of a £9.5 million investment to revamp the ageing town centre.

The authority says the centre, built in the late 1970s, is too large for current retail demand and contains long-term vacant space it does not expect to fill. The council secured full control of the shopping centre in 2023, which it says has allowed it to reshape the town centre rather than simply manage its decline.

Kirstin Chow, the council's head of regeneration, attributed the challenges to changing shopping habits and the growth of online retail, which have created a difficult environment for towns of Fareham's size. She said: 'We bought the shopping centre for a reason, not because we like to own shopping centres, but because it fundamentally impacts and influences how the town functions.'

How it is being reported

• Fareham shopping centre 'too big' as £9.5m revamp moves forwardA town centre shopping centre is set for major demolition as part of plans to breathe new life into its ageing infrastructure.Southern Daily Echo · 14 Nov, 03:30
• Fareham shopping centre ‘too big’ as £9.5m revamp - that includes demolition - moves forwardFareham Borough Council has already revealed it wants to demolish a third of the shopping centre and remodel the town centre - here’s whyThe News, Portsmouth · 13 Nov, 19:11

In this story: Fareham Borough Council · Fareham Shopping Centre · Fareham · Kirstin Chow

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