Whiteley Timeline
Key events from 1086 to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Whiteley. Explore the events that define our community.
1086
Domesday Book records the Whiteley area
The Domesday Book of 1086 recorded the lands around what is now Whiteley as part of the wider manor system in the Titchfield and Fareham area of Hamps...
c. 1700
Whiteley Farm established
Whiteley Farm, which gave its name to the modern settlement, was established as a working agricultural holding in the area between Fareham and the Ham...
1765
Turnpike road through the area
The turnpike road system that connected Southampton, Fareham and Portsmouth passed through the southern margins of the Whiteley area, following routes...
1889
Railway opens at Swanwick
The opening of Swanwick railway station on the Fareham to Eastleigh line brought rail transport to the area immediately south of what is now Whiteley....
1914-1918
First World War impact on the area
The First World War affected the farming communities around Whiteley as it did all rural areas. Men from the farms and cottages in the area enlisted i...
1975
M27 motorway constructed through the area
The construction of the M27 motorway through the fields south of what is now Whiteley transformed the area's transport geography. The motorway, linkin...
1977
Hampshire Structure Plan proposes Whiteley development
Hampshire County Council's Structure Plan of 1977 identified land north of western Fareham, centred on M27 Junction 9, as a location for a major new r...
1988
First houses completed in Whiteley
The first residential properties in Whiteley were completed in the late 1980s, marking the beginning of the transformation from farmland to new town. ...
1990
Solent Business Park welcomes first occupiers
Solent Business Park, the commercial component of the Whiteley development, welcomed its first major occupiers in the early 1990s. The park was design...
1992
Whiteley Primary School opens
Whiteley Primary School opened to serve the growing community, providing the first purpose-built educational facility within the development. The scho...
1999
Whiteley Village outlet centre opens
The Whiteley Village outlet shopping centre opened in November 1999, providing the first significant retail facility within the development. The centr...
2003
Meadowside Leisure Centre opens
Meadowside Leisure Centre opened, providing Whiteley with a purpose-built sports and leisure facility. The centre included a swimming pool, gym, fitne...
May 2013
Whiteley Shopping Centre opens after major redevelopment
The former outlet centre was demolished and replaced by the new Whiteley Shopping Centre, which opened in May 2013 with 58 shops, restaurants and cafe...
2014
Whiteley Town Council established
Whiteley Town Council was formally established, giving the community its own tier of local government for the first time. The town council represents ...
July 2018
North Whiteley expansion approved for 3,500 homes
Winchester City Council granted planning permission for the North Whiteley development, one of the largest housing schemes in Hampshire. The approval ...
2025
New secondary school approved for North Whiteley
Hampshire County Council received planning approval for a new secondary school in North Whiteley, replacing Henry Cort Community College in Fareham. T...