Proposals to bring high quality environmentally sustainable homes and new jobs to a Hampshire town have taken a significant step forward, thanks to a £3m investment from the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
The HCA has bought the Quebec Barracks site in Whitehill & Bordon, East Hampshire, from the Ministry of Defence, which will see 100 much-needed homes built and employment space for up to 100 new jobs created.
This investment enables work to start to transform the former barracks into a high quality sustainable neighbourhood as part of the ambitious Whitehill & Bordon Eco-town project. The overall plan for the regeneration of the town will see 4,000 environmentally sustainable homes and 5,500 jobs created.
The new homes will meet official zero carbon standards and be attractively designed to set the benchmark for new homes in the rest of the town.
Investment in this site will also help the area address the expected loss of jobs as a result of the MoD closing the Bordon Garrison and relocating its operations to RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire by the end of 2015, as set out in the Defence Training Review.
The HCA’s purchase of the site will be followed by the selection of a development partner who will submit a planning application for the homes and employment space by the end of the year. Building work is expected to start in 2014, with completion anticipated by the end of 2015. Part of the HCA’s investment has supported completion of the masterplan, which has involved extensive and ongoing consultation with residents and provides a framework for the future regeneration of the town.
Kevin Bourner, HCA Head of Area, said: “This investment enables partners to take the first steps towards regenerating Whitehill & Bordon in an environmentally and economically sustainable way.
"The homes will be built to a much higher standard than originally envisaged, which will raise the bar in terms of the development of the rest of the project and act as a catalyst for lasting change here. There is a lot of work that needs to be done over the next year, but it is exciting to have got to this stage and see that progress is going to happen in the months ahead.”
Cllr Glynis Watts, East Hampshire District Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Whitehill and Bordon, said: “This investment is a great step forward for the town. The focus of this and future development is on enabling residents to have a really good quality of life. The homes that will be built will meet local aspirations because they will be attractive, cheap to run and in a great environment. We are going to pull out all the stops to make this something really special.”
John Walker, the Independent Chairman of the Whitehill & Bordon Eco-town Delivery Board, said: “The regeneration of Quebec Barracks is a small example of what we are trying to achieve across the town. Our aim is to deliver exceptionally good design that sets the standard for future Eco-town development. This is a tremendous opportunity to create a really attractive and sought-after place to live and work.”
Colonel David Ansell said: “This site has been empty for several years and it is really exciting that it is about to be given a new lease of life and be regenerated to provide homes and jobs. We feel that it is important to start releasing sites as they become available because it means that the local economy will be more buoyant when we completely leave the town by the end of 2015. I look forward to seeing the site transformed into a great place that Whitehiill and Bordon residents can be really proud of.”