Group applies for study centre to be community asset

Hundreds of people protested against proposals to close Stubbington Study Centre

A residents' association has applied for an outdoor activities centre to become a community asset.

Hampshire County Council (HCC) proposed turning Stubbington Study Centre (SSC) near Fareham into a secure children's home, which it said was needed to cope with high demand.

The plans sparked protests from parents and children, with hundreds of people marching from Lee-on-the-Solent war memorial to the study centre on Saturday.

Now, Hill Head Residents' Association (HHRA) has applied to Fareham Borough Council for it to become an asset of community value.

The association said this would not stop the council from closing the centre, but they hoped it would "cause them to pause and consider other options for the new secure children's facility".

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage said she was "delighted" about the application and added that, if approved, it would "be a significant complication in the planning consent process".

The march travelled from the Lee-on-the-Solent war memorial to the study centre

A HCC spokesperson said if the application was approved it "may be a consideration at the planning application stage".

"This stage is not anticipated to take place until next year and remains subject to any decisions regarding the proposed location of the new children's home, due to be taken by the County Council's Cabinet on 18 March and by the Government thereafter," they said.

They added their "immediate focus" was reviewing the feedback from the consultation, which closed on Monday.

SSC opened in 1935 and more than 4,000 pupils have residential visits there each year.

Stubbington councillor Pal Hayre said the number of people who marched in support of keeping the centre open on 8 February had been "overwhelming".