It was an unofficial continuation of the original Hampshire League which had controversially been disbanded earlier the same year.

The competition was originally formed in June 2004 following the expansion of the Wessex League, as not all the clubs from the recently disbanded Hampshire League were able to meet the stricter ground criteria and so re-formed a new successor competition.

This merger ultimately did not occur, although the HPL was nonetheless awarded Step 7 feeder status.

By this time, on the pitch Netley Central Sports were now the dominant force, winning a consecutive double in 2008/09 and 2009/10, but once their purple patch faded the league became a more even playing field with three different sides clinching the title.

In June 2013 the inevitable happened, when the competition was dissolved with its remaining member clubs being invited to join the newly created Division 1 of the Hampshire Premier League.