The enhancement of quality of place is core to the ambitions of PfSH. It is imperative that, when delivered, economic development and housing growth in South Hampshire contributes to improved quality of life for residents.
South Hampshire has a reputation for being a highly desirable place to live and work. Historically this area was the cradle of the English language, the home of the Navy, the embarkation point for the Pilgrim Fathers, and the birthplace of cricket. South Hampshire residents enjoy access to a top quality professional cultural, and sporting offer with a wide and varied range of opportunities including premiership football, test cricket, internationally significant, museums, festivals and theatres. Residents also live within easy reach of the coast, two national parks, and some of the nation’s most prized historic environments.
We aspire to make South Hampshire an exciting and rewarding place to live and work by ensuring: the availability of the right facilities; that people feel safe; and that they live in a pleasant, well-designed environment that has adequate provision to meet the leisure and recreation needs of residents. This includes communities having a feeling of ‘place’, shaped by the facilities and services on offer, by the local character, culture and heritage, and by the local environment. Building on our sub-region’s superb natural and historic assets, and strong heritage and cultural base, our strategy is to plan for the sub-region in a way that recognises the relationships between the urban fabric and the natural environment, and retains a sense of place.
Creative industries are the fastest growing business sector in the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership area. Employment in the sector nearly doubled in the 10 year period up until 2012. The sector is estimated to currently support around 20,000 Jobs and 4000 businesses. The culture, creative industries and built environment theme panel’s work programme has been designed to ensure that South Hampshire is well placed to take full advantage of its strengths, by offering high quality places in which to live, work, and invest. The programme aims to:
- promote access and participation in a wide range of cultural and sporting activities
- develop cultural and creative industries, both as drivers of the economy and as contributors to Quality of Place
- enhance tourism and the visitor economy.
- ensure new developments conform to high standards of design so as to increase liveability in the sub region.
Outcomes 2006-2026
- Promotion of excellent cultural facilities which are of national, international or regional repute. These provide a building block not only for the successful integration of culture into our communities, but also for South Hampshire’s worldwide ‘brand’.
- Good design. This will be at the top of our agenda to create a sense of place in every new development and regenerated community
- Ensuring we do all we can to encourage involvement and participation in culture, sport and recreation
- Enhanced quality of life through a diverse and vibrant cultural and sporting offer, using culture and heritage to create a sense of identity and distinctiveness.
- A thriving creative businesses sector and a healthy visitor economy.
Creative Network South (CNS)
CNS was established by PfSH in 2012, with an aim to drive a sector led approach to creative industry development in Hampshire. More about CNS and their Solent Creative Industries Declaration is available to access on their website.