Decision details

To assess the nomination to register Haven House Visitor Centre and Café as an asset of community value.

Hampshire County Council (HCC) owns the Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve and has recently consulted on a proposal to sell two buildings on the site: Haven House and Haven Cottage.  The HCC engagement exercise closed on 01 November 2022.

Haven House is a two-storey building currently housing a visitor centre, café, meeting room and public toilets, as well as office space, ticket and membership sales point for Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve and a residential flat used on an adhoc basis by Nature Reserve Rangers when undertaking their duties.  If HCC’s proposals are approved, the café will close on 23 December 2022.

On 10 October 2022, Hill Head Residents’ Association (HHRA) submitted an Asset of Community Value (ACV) nomination form to Fareham Borough Council, asking that Haven House Visitor Centre and Café be registered as an ACV.

Registration of Haven House Visitor Centre and Café as an ACV would prevent HCC from selling the asset, for up to 5 years, without HHRA being given the chance to bid for it.

There is a strict set of legal conditions that any nomination needs to demonstrate for an asset to qualify as an ACV.  If it qualifies the Council must register it by the deadline of 05 December 2022 (8 weeks from receipt of valid nomination).

The report outlines the evidence submitted as part of the nomination and assesses whether it matches the legal criteria.

Under Fareham Borough Council procedures, decisions on whether to include an asset on the Assets of Community Value register are delegated to the Director of Leisure and Community. However, given the high-profile Borough wide interest in Haven House Visitor Centre and Café, the Director of Leisure and Community has referred this decision to the Executive in this instance.

RESOLVED that the Executive approves the registration of Haven House Visitor Centre and Café as an Asset of Community Value.