Haven House Visitor Centre deemed ‘Asset of Community Value’

Fareham Borough Council has approved an application to register the Haven House Visitor Centre at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ (ACV).

Hampshire County Council owns most of the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve and has recently proposed to sell two buildings on the site: Haven House and Haven Cottage.

Haven House currently incorporates the Titchfield Haven Visitor Centre, café, meeting room and public toilets, as well as office space and a ticket and membership sales point for the Titchfield Haven National Reserve.

Hill Head Residents’ Association submitted an ACV nomination form to Fareham Borough Council, asking that Haven House Visitor Centre and Café be registered as an ACV. Given that the site is an important community hub, well used by more than 85,000 visitors per year, Fareham Borough Council assessed that the nomination demonstrated that it met the legal criteria required of an ACV and approved it being added to the register on 14 November 2022.

This means that the Visitor Centre and Café will remain on the ACV register for up to five years. If Hampshire County Council goes ahead with its plans to sell the Visitor Centre and Café during this time, it must notify Fareham Borough Council of its intention. The Residents’ Association will then be given up to six months to prepare a bid for the purchase of the site, which cannot be sold to anyone else in the meantime.

Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Seán Woodward, said: “I am very pleased that Haven House has met the criteria to be deemed an Asset of Community Value. This is an incredibly well attended venue with a popular café for local residents as well as walkers, cyclists, surfers and swimmers alike. The Visitor Centre showcases art and craftwork from local talent and also holds community events throughout the year. Haven House is a perfect candidate to be registered as an ACV and I hope this decision goes some way to protect the venue long into the future.”