South Hampshire

Harold Wilson'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 was able to grow largely without overall planning to become perhaps the most densely populated region of the UK. 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 have been made, but saw minor local resistance, stemming from the Southampton-Portsmouth rivalry, as well as from the more rural Isle of Wight. Whilst the proposal did otherwise see continued support, particularly from councillors, by 2018 talks with the government had stalled. More recent proposals have included southeast Dorset, that is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP). After another bid was submitted in 2021, Gerald Vernon-Jackson claimed the government were "keen" on including BCP in a potential deal. A November 2022 report by BCP Council suggested a Central South deal as an alternative to a Pan-Hampshire deal with BCP tacked on. ==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 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; but by 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. Notes: Other built-up areas There are three other significant urban areas in the area: There are fourteen smaller urban areas also in the region: Notes: ==Other towns in the area==

Slightly further out there are many surrounding towns and villages as well as the city of Chichester which are not directly close to Southampton or Portsmouth, or necessarily in their travel to work areas. Some of these settlements rely on the latter cities for employment or retail due to close proximity but are not limited to these alone. Places within the wider Portsmouth-Southampton Metropolitan area include: ==See also==