Rowlands Castle Rowlands Castle is a historic settlement with a relatively extensive built-up area. Population and household statistics that are available from the 2021 Census provide the following overview of the existing community:
Rowlands Castle village is centred around a large village green and has direct connections to surrounding settlements and the A3, as well as a railway station on the London Waterloo to Portsmouth main line. Whilst it retains its character and function as a village, it is dependent on nearby Havant and other towns for most shopping and services, together with secondary schools. Rowlands Castle falls within both the South Downs National Park (which is an independent local planning authority) and the Local Plan Area. The boundary of the South Downs National Park runs along the north of Rowlands Castle village and covers an area of rural countryside accommodating the village of Finchdean. There are a number of historic features, areas of woodland and areas of green open space including the large village green in the centre of the village and Havant Thicket to the south. Due to the nature of its topography, mainly chalk downland, a pair of lavants (seasonal streams) are found which rise periodically in the area. Rowlands Castle is therefore susceptible and prone to flooding, namely groundwater flooding. Figure 12.23 identifies these environmental constraints for new development.
Page 437