South Hampshire is a term used mainly to refer to the conurbation formed by the city of Portsmouth, city of Southampton and the non-metropolitan boroughs of Gosport, Fareham, Havant and Eastleigh in southern Hampshire, South East England. The area was estimated to have a population of over 1.5 million in 2013. It is the most populated part of South East England excluding London. The area is sometimes referred to as Solent City particularly in relation to local devolution,[1] but the term is controversial.[2] [3]
Harold Wilson's Labour government commissioned town planner Colin Buchanan in 1965 to study the region. He found a region of growing economic importance, in desperate need of proper planning to avoid unplanned sprawl, and suggested the construction of a modernist urban area between Southampton and Portsmouth.[4] However this was resisted by local authorities who occupied the proposed development sites, and Buchanan's plans were never put into effect.[5]
Instead, as a result of high-tech industry and services, the area was able to grow largely without overall planning to become perhaps the most densely populated region of the UK. In the late 20th century mass manufacturing of ordinary commodities declined, leaving several town and city neighbourhoods impoverished and suffering unemployment; however by the early 21st century high income and retirement properties came to dominate some neighbourhoods, particularly close to universities, and many suburbs and exurbs. Centrally planned building programmes included large estates, connected by new road networks, for commercial and residential use by Hampshire County Council's architects, led by Colin Stansfield Smith. Otherwise development has tended to be on a case-by-case basis for retail parks, business parks and housing.
The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a collaboration between local authorities, universities and businesses set up in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.[6] [7] Different departments of the Solent LEP are distributed across the area, with its 'Growth Hub' being based in Southampton.[8] On 12 November 2013 the government announced the second wave of City Deals, with a successful joint bid of Southampton and Portsmouth providing £953 million of investment into the Solent LEP.[9]
Various attempts at a South Hampshire or Solent City devolution deal have been made, but saw minor local resistance, stemming from the Southampton-Portsmouth rivalry, as well as from the more rural Isle of Wight.[10] [11] Whilst the proposal did otherwise see continued support, particularly from councillors,[12] by 2018 talks with the government had stalled.[13] More recent proposals have included southeast Dorset, that is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP). After another bid was submitted in 2021, Gerald Vernon-Jackson claimed the government were "keen" on including BCP in a potential deal.[14] A November 2022 report by BCP Council suggested a Central South deal as an alternative to a Pan-Hampshire deal with BCP tacked on.[15]
The region can be subdivided into two conurbations, one centred around Southampton and one around Portsmouth. Most of the area is in the Hampshire districts of Gosport, Fareham, Havant, Eastleigh, Portsmouth and Southampton. All of these districts have high population densities, with Portsmouth and Southampton being the most densely populated districts in England outside Greater London. Other parts of the area are in the Test Valley, East Hampshire, City of Winchester and New Forest districts, all of which have lower population densities. Small parts of the area are also in the West Sussex district of Chichester.
The climate is temperate oceanic, Cfb in the Köppen climate classification.
The following Built-up areas fall inside the South Hampshire metropolitan area have a combined population of 1,086,786.
The following populations is those of council boundaries that are considered part of the South Hampshire conurbation.
In the 2001 census Portsmouth and Southampton were recorded as being parts of separate urban areas; but by the 2011 census they had merged to become the sixth largest built-up area in England, with a population of 855,569.[16] The new built-up area also merged with smaller urban areas called Locks Heath, Bursledon, Whiteley and Hedge End/Botley in the 2001 census.
| Urban subdivision[17] | Population | District | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (2001 census) | (2011 census) | |||
| Portsmouth | 187,056 | 238,137 | City of Portsmouth | |
| Gosport | 69,348 | 71,529 | Borough of Gosport | |
| Fareham | 56,160 | 42,210 | Borough of Fareham | |
| Havant | 45,435 | 45,125 | Borough of Havant | |
| Lee-on-the-Solent | 7,067 | Borough of Gosport | ||
| Stubbington | 13,628 | 14,077 | Borough of Fareham | |
| Waterlooville | 63,558 | Borough of Havant | ||
| Total Portsmouth urban area population | 442,252 | |||
| Southampton | 234,224 | 253,651 | City of Southampton | |
| Eastleigh | 52,894 | 78,716 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| Bishopstoke | 17,282 | Borough of Eastleigh | ||
| Total Southampton urban area population | 304,400 | |||
| Locks Heath & surrounding villages | 36,452 | 43,359 | Borough of Fareham | |
| Bursledon | 6,744 | 6,955 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| Whiteley | 2,195 | 3,236 | Borough of Fareham/City of Winchester | |
| Total Western Wards population | 45,391 | 53,550 | ||
| Hedge End | 21,174 | 25,117 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| Botley | 2,506 | 5,083 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| Total Hedge End/Botley population | 23,680 | 30,200 | ||
| Horndean | 46,924 | East Hampshire/Borough of Havant | ||
| Total South Hampshire built-up area population | 855,569 | |||
Notes:
There are three other significant urban areas[18] in the area:[19]
| Urban subdivision | Population(2001 census) | Population(2011 census) | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashurst/Netley Marsh | 3,116 | 3,212 | New Forest District | |
| Totton | 27,986 | 28,676 | New Forest District | |
| Bartley | 2,281 | New Forest District | ||
| Total Totton built-up area population | 31,102 | 34,169 | ||
| Winchester built-up area | 41,420 | 46,074 | City of Winchester | |
| Stubbington built-up area | 24,644 | Borough of Fareham/Borough of Gosport | ||
| Hythe built-up area | 19,599 | 20,201 | New Forest District |
There are fourteen smaller urban areas also in the region:[19]
| Urban area | Population(2001 census)[20] | Population(2011 census) | District | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3,249 | 3,419 | City of Winchester | ||
| Compton/Otterbourne | 2,261 | 2,569 | City of Winchester | |
| 5,788 | 6,107 | City of Winchester | ||
| Emsworth/Southbourne | 18,139 | 18,777 | Borough of Havant/Chichester District | |
| Fawley/Blackfield | 13,775 | 13,712 | New Forest District | |
| Hamble | 3,853 | 4,696 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| Hayling Island | 14,842 | 15,485 | Borough of Havant | |
| 2,223 | Borough of Eastleigh | |||
| Kings Worthy | 4,292 | 4,901 | City of Winchester | |
| Marchwood | 5,586 | 6,141 | New Forest District | |
| Netley | 6,150 | 6,338 | Borough of Eastleigh | |
| 6,234 | 6,823 | Test Valley | ||
| Romsey | 17,386 | 17,161 | Test Valley |
Notes:
Slightly further out there are many satellite towns that may not be directly attached to Southampton or Portsmouth, or necessarily in their travel to work areas,[21] but are nonetheless still heavily reliant on the two cities for employment and services.
Places within the wider Portsmouth-Southampton Metropolitan area include:
| Settlement | County | |
|---|---|---|
| Andover[22] | Hampshire | |
| Bishop's Waltham[23] | Hampshire | |
| Bognor Regis | West Sussex | |
| Brockenhurst | Hampshire | |
| Chichester | West Sussex | |
| Lyndhurst | Hampshire | |
| Newport | Isle of Wight | |
| Ryde | Isle of Wight | |
| Salisbury | Wiltshire |