South Hampshire


South Hampshire is a term used mainly to refer to the metropolitan area formed by the cities of Portsmouth and Southampton and their suburbs and commuter towns, in southern Hampshire, England. The area had a population of around 1 million based on the 2001 census, and estimated 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 but the term is controversial.

History

'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. However this was resisted by local authorities who occupied the proposed development sites, and Buchanan's plans were never put into effect.
Instead, as a result of high-tech industry and services, the area grew 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, carefully connected by new road networks, of commercial and residential use by Hampshire County Council's architects, led by Colin Stansfield Smith. Otherwise development has tended to be a case-by-case basis for retail parks, business parks and housing.
The Solent Local Enterprise Partnership, a collaboration between local authorities, universities and businesses set up in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Different departments of the Solent LEP are distributed across the area, with its 'Growth Hub' being based in Southampton. 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. Various attempts at a South Hampshire or Solent City devolution deal, the latter sometimes including the Isle of Wight, have also been made, but have seen local resistance, stemming from the Southampton-Portsmouth rivalry, as well as from the more rural Isle of Wight. Whilst the proposal did see some continued support, particularly from councillors, by 2018 talks with the government had stalled.

Geography

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 comparatively lower population densities. Small parts of the area are also in the West Sussex district of Chichester.

Climate

The climate is temperate oceanic, Cfb in the Köppen climate classification.

Demography

The following Built-up areas fall inside the South Hampshire metropolitan area have a combined population of 1,086,786.

By council boundaries

The following populations is those of council boundaries that are considered part of the South Hampshire conurbation.

South Hampshire built-up area

In the 2001 census Portsmouth and Southampton were recorded as being parts of separate urban areas however by the time of the 2011 census they had merged to become the sixth largest built-up area in England with a population of 855,569. 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 subdivisionPopulation
Population
District
Portsmouth187,056238,137City of Portsmouth
Gosport69,34871,529Borough of Gosport
Fareham56,16042,210Borough of Fareham
Havant45,43545,125Borough of Havant
Lee-on-the-Solent7,067Borough of Gosport
Stubbington13,62814,077Borough of Fareham
Waterlooville63,558Borough of Havant
Total Portsmouth urban area population442,252
Southampton234,224253,651City of Southampton
Eastleigh52,89478,716Borough of Eastleigh
Bishopstoke17,282Borough of Eastleigh
Total Southampton urban area population304,400
Locks Heath & surrounding villages36,45243,359Borough of Fareham
Bursledon6,7446,955Borough of Eastleigh
Whiteley2,1953,236Borough of Fareham/City of Winchester
Total Western Wards population45,39153,550
Hedge End21,17425,117Borough of Eastleigh
Botley2,5065,083Borough of Eastleigh
Total Hedge End/Botley population23,68030,200
Horndean46,924East Hampshire/Borough of Havant
Total South Hampshire built-up area population855,569

Notes:
There are three other significant urban areas in the area:
Urban subdivisionPopulation
Population
District
Ashurst/Netley Marsh3,1163,212New Forest District
Totton27,98628,676New Forest District
Bartley2,281New Forest District
Total Totton built-up area population31,10234,169
Winchester built-up area41,42046,074City of Winchester
Stubbington built-up area24,644Borough of Fareham/Borough of Gosport
Hythe built-up area19,59920,201New Forest District

There are fourteen smaller urban areas also in the region:
Urban areaPopulation
Population
District
Colden Common3,2493,419City of Winchester
Compton/Otterbourne2,2612,569City of Winchester
Denmead5,7886,107City of Winchester
Emsworth/Southbourne18,13918,777Borough of Havant/Chichester District
Fawley/Blackfield13,77513,712New Forest District
Hamble3,8534,696Borough of Eastleigh
Hayling Island14,84215,485Borough of Havant
Horton Heath2,223Borough of Eastleigh
Kings Worthy4,2924,901City of Winchester
Marchwood5,5866,141New Forest District
Netley6,1506,338Borough of Eastleigh
North Baddesley6,2346,823Test Valley
Romsey17,38617,161Test 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, but are nonetheless still heavily reliant on the two cities for employment and services.
Places within the wider Portsmouth-Southampton Metropolitan area include:
SettlementCounty
AndoverHampshire
Bishop's WalthamHampshire
Bognor RegisSussex
BrockenhurstHampshire
ChichesterSussex
LyndhurstHampshire
NewportIsle of Wight
RydeIsle of Wight
SalisburyWiltshire