Issue 1 - August 2014
regeneratio It’s a big and busy year for Whitehill & Bordon It’s already been a busy year for the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Project with a number of notable successes. Some of the exciting things that have happened recently include:
Consultation on major planning proposals Consultation events were held in March so that residents could comment on site proposals before they were submitted as planning applications. Approximately 400 people attended the various events which were held in different venues in the town. Residents had a chance to comment on plans for Louisburg Barracks, the relief road and the main garrison site where the new town centre will be built along with the majority of the homes and jobs.
Quebec Barracks planning application submitted and approved A planning application for 100 new state-of-the-art zero-carbon homes and 100 new jobs was submitted in March and planners gave it the green light in July. This marks a major milestone and Radian, the developer, can now move on from planning the new development to delivering real change on the ground – the next stage will be to agree the necessary legal agreements so planning permission can be formally granted. Quebec Park was bought by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) from
the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO – the property arm of the Ministry of Defence) and it selected local development company Radian to transform the former barracks. As well as the much-needed new homes, the 3.5 hectare site will also feature a business hub and a café. The homes will range from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom houses. 65 of the homes will be available for private sale and 35 will be affordable housing.
Plans for 500 homes and jobs at Louisburg Barracks submitted Plans for 500 new homes and around 500 new jobs have been submitted to transform Louisburg Barracks. The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) bought the site from the Defence Infrastructure Organisation and submitted its plans to East Hampshire District Council in June. If the plans are approved, a new construction skills training centre is expected to be built as part of the
development. This project has already received funding and support from the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership. The application also includes the first phase of a new relief road which will enable access to the site and ease congestion around the town. Government funding for this work has been secured by the HCA. The road will be delivered by Hampshire County Council with work expected to start in spring 2015.
New fit-forpurpose governance A new governance structure designed to facilitate an expedited rate of delivery is in place to deliver the regeneration of the town. It consists of a new Strategy Board, a Delivery and Implementation Board and a consultative tier – together these provide strategic overview, efficient and speedy delivery and effective consultation. The Strategy Board is chaired by the Leader of East Hampshire District Council. It consists of all the major players and landowners in the regeneration scheme. The Strategy Board endorses and monitors the Delivery Plan for the next tier to work to. The Delivery and Implementation Board consists of senior officers from the partner organisations and is chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive of Hampshire County Council. This board co-ordinates project delivery and works collaboratively to ensure the successful regeneration of Whitehill & Bordon.
Construction of first three homes underway Work is well underway on the first three eco-houses as part of the town’s regeneration following an international architecture competition. The homes are being built by Radian behind the Eco-station on Camp Road.
£3million Green Deal Communities funding The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Team has secured £3m funding to help make energy-saving improvements to houses in Whitehill & Bordon and throughout East Hampshire and Havant. The funding enables residents who take up the Green Deal offer to receive between 10 and 70 per cent cashback on the measures they install.
The consultative tier, which is called Our Voice, is chaired by a local councillor and involves numerous individuals and organisations that work together in task and finish groups to look at key issues facing the town and to provide local and specialist input.
Issue 1 - August 2014
regeneratio Praise from the top The Chairman of the national housing and regeneration agency for England has praised the effective partnership work that is taking place to ensure the successful regeneration of Whitehill & Bordon and East Hampshire’s role in it. Ropert Napier, the Chairman of the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), visited the town and said: “It’s fantastic to see so much work taking place to regenerate the town. The scale of the project is huge but I am impressed by the vision being shown by Cllr Ferris Cowper
and the other partners. This project is clearly about much more than building houses – it is about creating a great place for people to live, work and visit. “Whitehill & Bordon has a tremendous opportunity here and the HCA is very supportive of what the partners are trying to achieve. The partnership working in Whitehill & Bordon is a good example of how regeneration of this nature should be managed and I look forward to working closely with the project team and other partners in the future.”
Whitehill & Bordon is a priority for investment Whitehill & Bordon has been designated as a ‘step-up’ town by the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership and is one of its top priorities for investment. This will open up opportunities to secure funding for key facilities in the town.
Attracting investment to the town Research has identified 30 companies to target who are looking to relocate or expand and where Whitehill & Bordon might meet their criteria. These companies have been identified from three sectors which we are particularly keen to attract to the town: clean-tech (e.g. solar panels), digital industries and tourism.
Want to know more? For more information about the project please visit www.whitehillbordon.com phone 01730 234329 or email whitehillbordon@easthants.gov.uk
Whitehill & Bordon runner-up for national award The Whitehill & Bordon project has been named as a runner-up for a national award because of its plans to regenerate the town in an innovative way. There were several award categories and Whitehill & Bordon was entered in the ‘best energy smart initiative by a local authority’ for its overall approach to regenerating the town.
Whitehill & Bordon’s approach includes ensuring that existing homes – as well as new homes – are as energy-efficient as possible (this means that residents are not wasting energy and their homes are cosier and cheaper to run). The National Energy Foundation (NEF) nominated Whitehill & Bordon for the award because it felt its plans are innovative, exemplary and replicable.
Want to improve your home, reduce your bills and get cashback for doing it?
Offer includes a range of measures such as insulation, boilers and double glazing. To find out more: Call 0800 052 2242 Email greendeal@portsmouthcc.gov.uk