Fight to save Study Centre

Hampshire’s Tories plan to close and re-purpose Stubbington Study Centre from 01 September 2025.

At the Fareham Borough Council meeting on 12 February all parties united in supporting a motion opposing Hampshire County Council’s plan to turn the much-loved Stubbington Study Centre into a secure children’s home. This is a victory for our community, but the fight is far from over!

Cllr David Hamilton challenged the Council Executive on what concrete steps Fareham Borough Council will take to actively support keeping this vital educational and outdoor activity centre open. We welcome the response from the Executive Leader, who has now written in strong opposition to Hampshire County Council, demanding transparency on alternative locations and calling for urgent discussions on other options.

While there is a clear case for taking advantage of Government funding to replace the ageing secure centre at Swanwick, it's hard to believe no other site could be found.

Cllr Paul Nother spoke about the cross-party support this issue has received locally, emphasising that this is about protecting an irreplaceable asset for generations of children, not party politics.

But let’s be clear: Hampshire County Council, which is led by the Conservatives, is responsible for this plan. While councillors of all parties in Fareham are working together to oppose it, it is the Conservative-run County Council that is pushing ahead despite huge public opposition.

What’s next? Hampshire County Council has yet to properly explain why this site was chosen or what other locations were considered. We will keep pushing for answers.

While the public consultation has now closed if you haven’t done so yet, you can sign the petition which now has over 18,000 signatures: Petition · Save Stubbington Study Centre - A Childhood Treasure for Hampshire Kids - United Kingdom · Change.org

The Liberal Democrats will continue standing with residents to defend Stubbington Study Centre. Together, we can stop this closure!

For more information on the Centre: Stubbington Study Centre | Education and learning | Hampshire County Council