Winchester News Online
How is Winchester handling climate change?
Residents of Winchester have already experienced the first cold snap of winter, and are now facing a week of rain and low temperatures.
This may seem all par for the course when it comes to winter weather, but the truth may be a bit more icy.
The Health and Environment Committee will meet with Winchester City Council later this evening to discuss “Climate Adaptation”.
The council’s target is to be carbon neutral by 2030, but the committee has pointed out a massive issue with this; their Carbon Neutrality Action Plan doesn’t seem to actually prepare the city for the impact of climate change.
They say climate adaptation is “key” to managing current and preparing for future impacts of climate change, including flooding and water scarcity.
Projections by the CRVA (Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment) for Winchester put local businesses at quite high risk of these, especially if temperatures should continue to rise at the rate they do currently.
Many of these risks were deemed highly urgent to address, including health concerns from high temperatures, depleting public water supplies, and issues caused by pests, pathogens and invasive species.
More extreme weather events are also occurring in Winchester – even a wildfire this summer after a field of crops caught ablaze near Hursley.
Since 2014, the committee has recorded a serious increase in storms and gales, which they say cause “considerable damage to infrastructure, impacting local communities and services”,
2025 also had three recorded heatwaves, more than previous years.
Maurice James, the grounds keeper for the University of Winchester, described the issues his team are gearing up to face.
“[We’ll face] more frequent flooding. I think we will get heavier downpours – we may get less periods of rain, but when it does rain, it will be heavy.”
He also says that the staff always prepare for ice and snow at this time of year, but that it “seems to be decreasing”.
A report by the BBC in January backs this up – the UK is certainly seeing fewer days with snow and sleet.
They warned that even some of the coldest areas in Scotland are not safe from the rising temperatures, with the ‘Sphinx’ in the Cairngorms melting five times since 2017 – half of the total times it has melted in the past 300 years.
After a less than satisfactory COP30, it leaves people wondering what can be done to help cities like Winchester to prepare for a changing landscape.
A man threw a chair and threatened bystanders in the centre of Gosport on Friday.
Police say the man, who was behaving aggressively, threw the chair on the ground and shouted threats at nearby shoppers before running away. No one was injured.
It happened just before noon, outside a Greggs Bakery on the High Street.
Hampshire Police say the man was white, bald and in his late 40s. He was wearing a baseball cap and a grey hoodie.
Officers are asking anyone who saw the incident to contact them.
Twelve people were arrested after 350 anti-migrant protestors clashed with police overnight in Gosport following reports of a small boat landing in the area.
A small number of officers needed medical treatment following the protests near Walpole car park.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said: “Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest, our position on this has been clear that we will investigate thoroughly and take robust action against anyone responsible.
“Our officers did not deserve to be assaulted as they worked incredibly diligently on Sunday to ensure the safety of everyone in the area.”
Police had banned face coverings and had issued a dispersal order ahead of the protests across Gosport.
Those arrested were held on suspicion of assaulting officers or being drunk and disorderly.
The protest marks an increase in tensions within the UK after protests at Portsmouth, Taunton, Basingstoke and Glasgow in recent months.
Gosport Reform UK councilor Paul Carter told GB News: “If you think about this last night, no one really knew what was happening… I think a lot of people are really worried.”
People in Romsey are being warned that the town’s recycling centre will be closing for a month for repairs.
The closure of Casbrook recycling centre will take place from 12 October to 12 November.
The council says that repairs are essential to keep the site safe, after heavy vehicles damaged the tarmac beneath waste containers.
Councillor Kirsty North, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader, said: “We are investing in essential improvements to preserve the surface of Casbrook HWRC (Bunny Lane) and ensure the facility continues to serve residents safely and effectively for many years to come.
“I thank residents for their patience during these works and confirm that capacity is available at nearby HWRCs to ensure residents that usually use Bunny Lane, can still dispose of their waste during this time.”
Locals have been advised to use alternative centres in Winchester and Eastleigh while the repairs take place.
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