Nestled between Chichester and Portsmouth, Havant is a small town on the south coast with a population of 45,000. It doubled in size during the 20 years after WW2, rehousing a sizable number of people who had lost their homes during the blitz raids on Portsmouth, and you might be fooled into thinking it’s actually a part of the city if you didn’t know otherwise.
Only recently (historically speaking), have archaeologists found evidence of Roman settlements. Havant was officially described as a village with a population of 100 in the Doomsday book in 1080. Further evidence has been found for Mesolithic dwellings, making it several thousand years old. It was first established because of its close proximity to the sea, forest, as well as 2 natural springs, making it ideal for hunting, fishing, and general village life.
Havant is of historical significance because it was a key manufacturer of parchments from the mid 1700s onwards, as well as for brewing beer. The Emsworth Brewhouse is still open today as a testament to the old days, and has a lot of really great reviews. They make awesome new and classic beverages, and it’s well worth a look if you’re into your IPAs, decent beers or ciders.
Havant also has a few interesting folklore tales, including having two old oak beams which were supposedly recovered from the Spanish Armada in the local 16th-century pub, The Old Oak House. On top of that, the pub claims to have the post to which the last dancing bear in the UK was tethered to, which we are of course glad to see the back of.
Today Havant is very popular for shoppers with its Meridian shopping centre, Havant Flea Market and the brewery, mentioned above. Havant also has some other interesting attractions such as The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, which is a community project full of interesting events connected with the arts. It’s a great place to live because of its proximity to Portsmouth and the sea, and it’s also a popular place for retirees.
With its fine old Georgian buildings, and cute little walkways called ‘twittens,’ Havant is small, but definitely worth visiting. Please read on for all free and paid parking information, and park in Havant stress-free.
Free Parking in Havant
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Free, unrestricted residential street parking
How about good old free parking using residential streets? It’s a fantastic money saving solution without bending any rules. Why should you pay to park if you don’t have to? Luckily for you we’ve done all of the work for you and written a definitive list of every free residential parking spot in Havant. We’ve made the following list of addresses in order of their distances to the Havant Railway Station, located in the south of the town, including postcodes and any points of interest along the way.
We would like to say that parking using free residential streets is at your own discretion, and if you require more safety for your car, or whatever valuables you may have inside, paid parking will give you that. Otherwise, go for it, but try to be as respectful as you can in how you park, and especially about noise. No one wants to hear lots of music or loud conversations in the middle of the night, and you should also look out for any signs the locals may have written regarding parking. We keep this site updated regularly, but you should always look out for any new parking implementations the council may have enforced.
North
If you’re cruising down from the London / Guilford direction in the North, there are some good street parking options available if you’re ok to have a 40 minute walk. It could be worth the effort, and we would recommend taking a nice stroll through Leigh Park, where you’ll come across the CAKES Chinese Alligators sanctuary. Bet you weren’t expecting that!
● Shawford Grove PO9 3DX – 1.9 miles
● Quarely Road PO9 4DU – 1.9 miles
● Yateley Close PO9 4DH – 1.7 miles
● Ramsdale Avenue PO9 4DY – 1.9 miles
● Bondfields Crescent PO9 5ER – 1.7 miles
● Cotswold Close PO9 5BZ – 1.5 miles
South
Maybe you’ll be coming in from the south, from the Portsmouth direction along the A27. That’s the perfect way to find free parking in Havant, and it takes you really close to the main attractions in the centre, including 2 great parks, as well as the The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre. Field Park has a beautiful green leafy ‘tunnel’ through the trees, under an old hump back bridge. It could be a really sweet romantic walk – highly recommended.
● Juniper Square PO9 1JA – 0.6 miles
● South Street PO9 1BY – 0.5 miles
● Grove Road PO9 1AR – 0.5 miles
● Centenary Gardens PO9 2LS – 0.2 miles
West
If you’re coming in from the west country, or Southampton along the A27 we would recommend stopping to view St Thomas’ Church. You’ll also see the Bedhampton Mariners Cricket Club on your way towards your free residential street parking. Havant Park is quite charming, has a decent kids play area, and is beautifully maintained, so it’d be a shame to miss that as you walk the small distance to the centre.
● Cross Way PO9 1NG – 0.6 miles
● Western Road PO9 1NJ – 0.8 miles
● Staunton Road PO9 1NH – 0.7 miles
Central
These are all great free parking locations very close to the centre of Havant, but not particularly inspiring walks out of the housing estate. We would recommend the other listed free parking options, for more artistic or scenic reasons only.
● Soberton Road PO9 2EE – 0.9 miles
● Kingsworthy Road PO9 2BJ – 0.8 miles
● Catherington Way PO9 2BS – 0.8 miles
24h Free car parks
These are pure and simple free council run car parks, near the centre of Havant.
● Bedhampton Community Centre PO9 3ES
● Bidbury Mead Recreation Ground PO9 3JG
● Hooks Lane Recreation Ground PO9 3EJ
● Leigh Park PO9 5HR
● Bartons Green Recreation Ground car park PO9 5LS
Free after 6pm/Overnight/Sunday Parking
These are pay and display council run park parks, spread all around the town. They’re free after 6pm on weekdays, free on Sundays, but make sure you pay for the next morning, or get your car out by 8am.
● East Pallant Car Park PO9 1ES – £2.10 for 2 hours
● Town End House Car Park PO9 1BS – £1.60 for 2 hours
● Tidworth Road Car Park PO9 5AA – £1.70 for 2 hours
● Greywell Road Car Park PO9 5FG – £1.70 for 2 hours
● Elmleigh Road Car Park PO9 2AB – £1.10 for 2 hours
● Meridian Centre Car Park PO9 1QD – £1.60 for 2 hours
● Prince Georges Street PO9 1BG – £2.10 for 2 hours (free on Sat&Sun)
● 43 North St Parking PO9 1PP – £2.10 for 2 hours (free on Sat&Sun)
Free after 6pm/Overnight Parking
● Civic Centre Rd Parking PO9 2AH – £0.90 for 2 hours
● Civic Centre Road North Car Park PO9 2AZ – £0.90 for 2 hours
Free after 9pm/Overnight/Sunday Parking
- Bulbeck Road Car Park PO9 1HN – £1.60 for 2 hours
Free short-term parking (2h or less)
If you only need to stop off to do something quickly, or make a flying visit, you can use these commercial car parks. Just remember that they do have camera systems, and you can’t stay there for longer than 2 hours.
● Solent Retail Park PO9 1JW
● Asda Havant Supercentre PO9 3QW
● B&Q Havant PO9 3QJ
● Tesco Extra PO9 1TR
Free and Paid Parking Near Popular Havant Locations
Free and paid parking near Havant Railway Station and The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre
