The overarching priorities for Whitehill & Bordon are well-established and form the basis of the existing regeneration plans that have been agreed by the Whitehill & Bordon Partnership.
The priorities are:
- to create a new green, healthy and connected town
- to ensure that the design and physical components of the new town are underpinned by place-making principles that encourage community participation, develop civic pride and support healthy and active lifestyles
More information can be found on dedicated Whitehill & Bordon website.
Whitehill & Bordon place making governance structure
For information on the Whitehill & Bordon governance groups, membership and terms of reference, please visit the Whitehill & Bordon website.
Current workstreams
New Town Centre
The aim of this workstream is to contribute in our capacity as the Local Planning Authority to deliver a new town centre with a high-quality leisure and retail offer coupled with new schools, leisure centre, health facilities & public service hub.
Planning permission for Phase 1 of the New Town Centre was approved in January 2019 under reference 55587/065.
Since then:
- Oakmoor School – opened in November 2019
- Leisure Centre – opened in December 2020
- The Shed – under-construction and due to open in May 2021
- Health & Wellbeing Hub – awaiting planning application
- Town Centre Infrastructure and Public Realm - civil engineering works are due to be completed soon to form the access from Budds Lane
For more information, please go to the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company’s website.
Green Loop
The Green Loop includes the creation of new, and enhancements to existing, walking and cycling routes in and around the town necessary to increase active travel. The aim is to reduce car journeys and encourage people to walk and cycle for commuting, leisure and exercise purposes.
The Green Loop is currently being delivered and, upon completion, will include:
- a 7km loop encircling, and connecting, the new and existing town. It will provide a high quality, safe and well-signed route which connects the town’s green spaces, Bordon Inclosure, Hogmoor Inclosure and Oakmoor School to residential, employment and town centre areas
- a secondary network of footpaths and cycle routes connecting the town to the Green Loop, which aim to connect at least two destinations and support active travel
Transport
In collaboration with Hampshire County Council (HCC) and Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC), this workstream seeks to undertake improvements to the C114 and develop sustainable transport projects that will encourage less car use and more active travel by walking, cycling and public transport use.
- the A325 Templars Way (New Relief Road) was completed and opened in January 2019
- the HCC Travel Survey has been completed and we are working with HCC to see if an interim report can be released. It is anticipated that a series of focus groups will be carried out by HCC
For more information please go to Hampshire Count Council website.
Green space
This workstream aims to protect and enhance around 150 hectares of green space through the provision of two SANGs (suitable alternative natural green-spaces) at Bordon Inclosure and Hogmoor Inclosure.
The Land Trust has been appointed by WBRC and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to manage the public open spaces at Prince Phillip Park, including Hogmoor Inclosure SANG. Following this appointment, an Estates and Community Officer is now in post.
The Heathlands Reunited (HeRe) Team has been appointed to deliver the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) measures required to protect the Wealden Heaths Phase II Special Protection Area (SPA).
The Honey Pin Orchard Pocket Park was delivered in Summer 2020 and continues to develop.
The Nut Tree Orchard Pocket Park is being delivered at Jubilee Park, so far, wildflower seeds and trees have been planted, and new play equipment has been installed.
Business and economy
In collaboration with the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC), this workstream aims to deliver an Enterprise Zone (EZ) to attract investment from digital technology businesses, in partnership with the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and sites at Basing View and Longcross.
Tech Forest – discussions are ongoing with Homes England and businesses to bring the site to market as soon as possible.
Coronavirus business support – significant work is ongoing to support business and work via Signal and BASE Innovative Centre. So far 138 businesses have received grant funding amounting to £1,711,500.
Northern gateway
East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) has declared the Northern Gateway Site in Whitehill & Bordon surplus to its operational requirements.
An expression of interest exercise was undertaken between February and April 2024 to ascertain the nature of interest in the site and existing buildings and to understand how interested parties would propose to use the site in the future.
It has now been agreed by EHDC that interested parties from the EoI exercise will be given a 12 week period to work up a bid to acquire the freehold or a leasehold interest in the whole of the site.
This process will close on Monday 30 September 2024.
If you have any questions about this process, please email placemaking@easthants.gov.uk.
Whitehill & Bordon A Healthy New Town 2016-2020
In March 2016, Whitehill & Bordon was selected as one of 10 NHS England Healthy New Town demonstrator sites across the country.
East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) worked with a wide range of public sector, private sector and voluntary organisations to provide lots of fantastic opportunities for local people of all ages to be active, eat healthily, improve their mental health, stay socially connected and get out and about in the town on foot or by bike.
More information on the successful initiatives which have been set up through the Whitehill & Bordon Healthy New Towns programme can be found here:
- The town with health at its heart (pdf 12 mb)
Getting in contact
If you wish to contact the council about the Enhance East Hampshire place making strategy and associated workstreams then please email placemaking@easthants.gov.uk.