1983–present: The Borough of Gosport, and the Borough of Fareham wards of Hill Head and Stubbington.
The constituency centres on Peel Common, Chalk Common and the River Alver that run north–south — its largest settlement is arguably the eastern town of Gosport. Gosport post town comprises several distinct villages and neighbourhoods on the south coast of England in Hampshire whereas the constituency comprises the whole of Gosport Borough (including Lee-on-the-Solent and Alverstoke) and includes Stubbington and Hill Head from the neighbouring Fareham Borough.
Gosport has, to date, been a Conservative safe seat, as an area with a majority of privately owned properties that has a minority of poor residents. It has two large housing estates in the south and east of Rowner, for example: according to the 2001 census, these are predominantly social housing, and contain two of the most deprived output areas in terms of income and unemployment in the United Kingdom. However, the area is not of uniform characterisation.[3][4] Rowner has a central conservation area of expensive housing, and touches, immediately to the west, the Lee on Solent Golf Club, Grange Farm Museum, the West of the Alder Nature Reserve and the Wild Grounds Nature reserve. Beside its bowling green, allotments and recreation ground lies the Grade I-architecture of St Mary's Church.[5] Unlike the generally expensive west of the borough,[4] Rowner resembles central Gosport and Bridgemary in presenting a diverse picture, retaining scenic and generally more rural surroundings than the City of Portsmouth, with some areas of deprivation.[6]
Peter Viggers (later knighted) had represented the constituency from 1974 to 2010. David Cameron instructed Sir Peter not to stand for re-election after his nationally infamous attempt to claim for a duck house during the MPs' expenses scandal.
^"Electorate Figures - Boundary Commission for England". 2011 Electorate Figures. Boundary Commission for England. 4 March 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2011.
^"The Parliamentary Constituencies Order 2023". Schedule 1 Part 6 South East region.
^"2001 census statistics". Archived from the original on 11 February 2003. Retrieved 17 December 2012.