About Solent News
Solent News is a network of local community news sites covering towns and villages across the south coast of Hampshire and West Sussex. The network spans from the Isle of Wight and Gosport in the west to Chichester, Bognor Regis, and Selsey in the east, and from Hedge End and Waterlooville in the north to Hayling Island and Pagham in the south. Each site focuses on a single community, providing local news, history, and practical guides written for residents and visitors.
The area covered by the network is one of the most varied on the English coast. It includes the naval heritage of Portsmouth and Gosport, the seaside resorts of Lee-on-the-Solent and Bognor Regis, the cathedral city of Chichester, the harbour villages of Bosham and Emsworth, the South Downs countryside behind the coast, and the tidal harbours of Chichester, Langstone, and Portsmouth that shape the landscape and the wildlife.
This site, solent.news, serves as the umbrella for the network. It carries news from across the wider area, along with guides and information that span multiple communities. For news and detailed content about a specific town, visit the dedicated site below.
The Network
The Solent Coast
- Gosport News Naval town on Portsmouth Harbour. Military heritage, waterfront regeneration, and community life.
- Lee-on-the-Solent News Seaside town with a long seafront, HMS Daedalus heritage, and a relaxed coastal character.
- Lee-on-the-Solent Visitor Guide Heritage and visitor guide to Lee-on-the-Solent, covering walks, beaches, and local history.
- Stubbington News Village community between Fareham and the coast, with a strong local identity.
- Hill Head News Coastal village on the Solent shore, beside Titchfield Haven nature reserve.
- Hamble News Riverside sailing village on the Hamble, with Spitfire heritage and world-class marinas.
Portsmouth and Harbour Towns
- Southsea News Portsmouth's vibrant seafront quarter, known for independent shops and cultural life.
- Portsea News The historic dockyard quarter, home to HMS Victory, the Mary Rose, and naval heritage.
- Cosham News Northern Portsmouth gateway with Queen Alexandra Hospital and Portsdown Hill views.
- Portchester News Castle village with Roman and medieval heritage on the shore of Portsmouth Harbour.
- Fareham News Historic market town at the head of Portsmouth Harbour, well connected by road and rail.
Inland Hampshire
- Titchfield News Historic village with a thousand years of recorded history, home to Titchfield Abbey.
- Wickham News Meon Valley village with a handsome square, a medieval bridge, and countryside walks.
- Hedge End News Growing commuter town at the M27/M3 junction, east of Southampton.
- Waterlooville News Suburban town north of Havant with retail centres and good road connections.
- Whiteley News Modern planned town at M27 junction 9, with Whiteley Shopping Centre and Solent Business Park.
- Locks Heath News Suburban village between Fareham and the River Hamble, with local shops and green spaces.
The Hampshire-Sussex Border
- Havant News Market town at the crossroads of the A27 and A3, gateway to Hayling Island.
- Emsworth News Harbour town on the Hampshire-Sussex border, known for maritime heritage and oyster history.
- Hayling Island News Island community with sandy beaches, windsurfing heritage, and harbour-side nature.
Chichester and West Sussex
- Chichester News Cathedral city with Roman origins, Festival Theatre, and the South Downs on the doorstep.
- Fishbourne News Village on Chichester Harbour, famous for the largest Roman palace in Britain.
- Bognor Regis News Traditional seaside resort with a royal suffix, Butlin's, and high sunshine hours.
- Pagham News Coastal village with RSPB nature reserve and excellent birdwatching.
- Selsey News Peninsula tip community with fishing heritage, lifeboat station, and early Christian history.
- Littlehampton News Seaside town at the mouth of the River Arun, with a harbour, long beach, and independent shops.
- Goodwood News Sporting estate near Chichester, famous for horse racing, motorsport, and the Festival of Speed.
The Island
- Isle of Wight News The island across the Solent, with the Needles, Osborne House, Cowes Week, and coastal walks.
What We Cover
Each site in the Solent News network publishes aggregated local news, drawn from public sources and presented in one place for convenience. Alongside the news, each site offers detailed guides to streets, areas, places of interest, and local history. The content is factual, community-focused, and written with local knowledge.
The umbrella site at solent.news covers topics that span the wider area: sailing and watersports, the Solent Way walking trail, ferry services to the Isle of Wight, the South Downs National Park, Chichester Harbour, wildlife and nature reserves, military heritage, commuting, and getting around by road, rail, bus, and bicycle.
The Area
The Solent News area stretches across two counties, from the New Forest fringes in the west to the Arun valley in the east. It takes in the great natural harbour of Portsmouth, the tidal waters of Chichester and Langstone harbours, the chalk ridge of the South Downs, the flat coastal plain of West Sussex, and the Isle of Wight across the strait.
The area's history is written in its landscape. Portchester Castle preserves the most complete Roman fort in northern Europe. Fishbourne Roman Palace holds the finest Roman mosaics in the country. Chichester Cathedral has stood for nearly a thousand years. The naval dockyards of Portsmouth shaped the defence of the nation. The seaside resorts of Bognor and Lee-on-the-Solent drew Victorian and Edwardian visitors. The harbours still fill with sailing boats every summer weekend.
Whether you live here, are planning a visit, or have a connection to the area, the Solent News network aims to make exploration easier and to celebrate the communities that make this stretch of coast distinctive.
Contact
Solent News is an independent project. For enquiries, corrections, or suggestions, contact us via the individual town sites listed above.