South of Romsey Town Centre - The options we explored
Three sites (outlined on the aerial image below) were initially considered as possible locations for future community spaces by the Citizens' Assembly in October 2024.
- Bus station site
- Crosfield Hall site
- Romsey Rapids site
Overview of options
Some members of the Citizens' Assembly raised questions about the possibility of renovating or expanding the existing Crosfield Hall.
The adopted masterplan identified that, while the community facilities that the Crosfield Hall provides are important to the local community, the building itself is limited in the range and type of activities it can be used for.
In May and June 2024, Romsey Future carried out a series of workshops with community groups across Romsey to understand how they are currently using community facilities. Community group representatives pointed to issues with Crosfield Hall such as:
- accessibility within the building, with the entrance facing away from the town centre
- the layout is inflexible, due to the ad-hoc way the facility has been extended over time. It has limited meeting room space, poor acoustics and the technology and stage space is lacking
- outdated facilities and limited provision for disabled users
These were challenges for many different groups, ranging from Crosfield Hall users like the Romsey Chamber Orchestra to the Disabled People’s Partnership.
Similarly, there was widespread agreement within the Citizens' Assembly that the current provision of community facilities does not meet the needs of younger people.
Refurbishment would therefore require both major reconfiguration of the building, and extensive work to ensure its energy use matched an equivalent new community building. This would be both costly and complex, with initial estimates indicating that refurbishment of Crosfield Hall would cost approximately 15% - 20% more per sqm than a new facility.
Additionally, the current layout of the site means that keeping the existing building in place would limit the ability to deliver the improved, flexible community facilities identified by the public consultations and Citizens' Assemblies. It would also not allow for the required parking provision for the town centre identified in the parking study.
As a result, refurbishment of the existing hall was not taken forward as a viable option.
A summary of the presented options is shown below.
Summary of Option 1:
The bus station site will be used for:
- A new 880sqm community centre
- 20 homes
- 600sqm of commercial space
- A 200sqm plaza and transportation hub (the new bus station)
The Crosfield Hall site will be used for:
- A new three-storey 200-space car park
Pros:
- Puts the community facility in a central, accessible location
- All community facilities are in one place (unlike options 2 and 3)
- There is the potential to retain Crosfield Hall (and associated parking) until the new facility is completed
- Aligns with the masterplan public realm improvements (bus stops, bike hub etc.)
- Provides increased community and commercial space compared with the masterplan
- Reduces the height of building A from three to two storeys
- Lowest overall cost
Cons:
- Requires off-site parking for community users
- Loss of parking at Broadwater Road whilst construction of the new hall takes place
- Loss of parking at Crosfield Hall during construction of the decked parking (same as option 3)
- Provides fewer residential units compared to masterplan (20 instead of 30)
Summary of Option 2:
The bus station site will be used for:
- 30 homes
- 1,067 sqm of council/commercial space
The Crosfield Hall site will be used for:
- An 880sqm community centre
- A new three-storey 200-space car park
Pros:
- Preferred location identified by the Citizens' Assembly
- Combines community facility and parking in one location
- The likelihood of linked trips to the town centre is assumed to be similar to how it is now
- The community facility would 'screen' the decked car park
Cons:
- Potential parking capacity of 200 spaces - no additional parking to meet existing or forecasted demand
- Loss of community facility whilst Crosfield Hall is demolished and the new facility is built
- Loss of car parking during demolition of Crosfield Hall and construction of the new hall and decked parking
- Higher cost compared to option 1
Summary of Option 3
The Romsey Rapids site will be used for:
- A new 660sqm community centre plus outdoor space
The bus station site will be used for:
- An additional 380sqm community hub
- 30 homes
- 687sqm of commercial space
Pros:
- Creates a new community anchor near future residential neighbourhood
- Level access on-site parking
- Potential to retain Crosfield Hall until new facility is completed
- Offers open community green space
Cons:
- Less accessible for town centre users with a 10 to 12 minute walk to Romsey Rapids
- People are less likely to undertake linked trips to the town centre
- Community facilities are split across two sites - the Citizens' Assembly were reluctant for this to happen
- Potential loss of approx. 48 parking spaces at Romsey Rapids
- Highest overall cost
Size comparison of community facilities
To help visualise the scale of the proposed community facility, the design team compared the size of Crosfield Hall with other venues.
The new facility is designed to be 880sqm, which is larger than the existing Crosfield Hall and comparable to other modern community centres.
This space allows for a large hall, smaller meeting rooms, a café, youth space, and flexible areas for events and performances.
The Citizens' Assembly considered an XXL hall as part of option 3, however, it was decided that such a large space was no longer necessary.
A scaled comparison of Romsey's civic rooms
Layout options, showing the flexibility of rooms for community uses (XL and L halls)
Phases
Engagement on next steps
If approved by council, what you would like us to consider as we move into the next stage of designing the new development including the new community facility, decked parking and public spaces? This is an opportunity to share reflections, ideas or concerns.