Havant Parks, Playgrounds and Walks: Council-Listed Sites

What parks and playgrounds are there in Havant?

Havant Borough Council says there are "some fantastic play park facilities and open spaces" in the borough, and publishes a Parks and open spaces brochure listing 36 sites across the whole borough with their postcodes. This guide sticks to the sites the council lists, and to a few walks and routes confirmed by the council. Hayling Island, Emsworth and Waterlooville sites are in the same brochure but are nearby, not part of Havant town.

Parks in and around Havant listed by the council

The brochure gives these sites with Havant postcodes: Bartons Green (PO9 5QA), Bartons Triangle (PO9 5TE), Bidbury Mead (PO9 3JG), Broadmarsh (PO9 1HS), Front Lawn (PO9 5HR), Havant Park (PO9 1QF), Locks Farm (PO9 2UU), Scratchface Rec (PO9 3NQ), St Albans Green (PO9 2HP), St Christophers (PO9 3TJ), St Clares Avenue (PO9 4JF) and Stockheath Common (PO9 5HQ). The brochure shows each site's facilities as ticks against playground, football, multi-use games area, basketball, tennis, skate or BMX, and open space. Check the brochure itself for the facilities at any site not described below.

The council describes three sites in more detail, in a panel on parks in and around Leigh Park. Bidbury Mead has a children's playground, a zip wire, open space for informal use, three tennis courts and a basketball court. St Clares Avenue has a children's playground, a multi-use games area for football, basketball and more, a BMX dirt jump course, a nine-station outdoor gym with free access, and open space; the council says the dirt jumps and the outdoor gym are each one of only two in the borough. Front Lawn Recreation Ground has a children's playground, floodlit tennis and basketball courts and a floodlit artificial football pitch (booking fees may apply), plus open space. See our Leigh Park area page for the neighbourhood.

Who looks after the play areas?

According to the council, play areas are visited regularly by its operational services team, who litter-pick and keep them tidy. Play equipment is checked weekly by qualified inspectors, with a three-monthly engineering inspection and an annual independent inspection. To report damage or an incident in a play area, the council asks you to call 023 9244 6019 immediately, or to email Customer.Services@havant.gov.uk for something that needs urgent attention. Our report a problem guide covers other issues.

Sports pitches and football

The council says it has around 30 football pitches across 9 venues and 6 cricket pitches across 5 venues for hire. Its sports pitch hire page says the 2026-27 football booking season runs from Saturday 5 September to Sunday 4 April, and that there is no additional pitch lighting at any of its venues. Bidbury Mead Recreation Park, Bartons Green Recreation Ground and Front Lawn Recreation Ground appear on its hire list. See the council's play parks and sports pitches page and our leisure centres guide.

Hayling Billy Trail

Havant Borough Council's transport assessment describes the Hayling Billy Trail as an off-road route that starts at Havant railway station and ends at the Station Road and Sinah Lane junction in West Town on Hayling Island, with one crossing of the A3023. It is owned by Hampshire County Council and Havant Borough Council and is not a public right of way. On the council's Hayling Billy Trail page, the only users allowed are walkers, cyclists including e-bikes, scooters (a matter of legal debate, says the council), mobility transport such as wheelchairs, and equestrians. The council says the northern 1.2km section was resurfaced for all-weather use, and in September 2026 a further grant of 500,000 pounds was confirmed to improve the southern 1,100m, so expect works at the Hayling end. See our Billy Trail guide for the full route.

Long distance walks near Havant

The council's walking page lists signed long distance paths in the area. These include the Langstone Harbour Waterside Walk (14 miles), the Shipwrights Way (Alice Holt Forest to Portsmouth, 50 miles), the Solent Way (Emsworth to Milford on Sea, 60 miles), the Staunton Way (Staunton Country Park to Queen Elizabeth Country Park, 20 miles), the Sussex Border Path (Emsworth to Rye, 150 miles) and the Wayfarers Walk (Emsworth to Newbury, 70 miles), as well as the King Charles III England Coast Path. Some start in Emsworth, which is nearby rather than part of Havant. The council also says Havant borough has 5 Wellbeing Walks, which are between 10 and 90 minutes and up to 3 miles, and you can find yours by postcode on the Wellbeing Walks website. For rights of way and problems on paths, the council points to Hampshire County Council's rights of way map.

Staunton Country Park

Staunton Country Park is in Havant, and covers around 1,000 acres with free entry to the parkland, as published on Hampshire County Council's Staunton Farm page in September 2026. It has the Storey Gardens walled garden, a working farm, a cafe or tea room, and accessible toilets with baby changing. Dogs are allowed on leads in the parkland but not in the farm area. Opening hours and farm charges change, so check that page, and see our Staunton Country Park guide.