New nursery and community centre

New nursery and community centre

Construction under way at North Stoneham Park

Work is under way on a new nursery and community centre for the new North Stoneham Park development in Eastleigh.

Local residents will be able to benefit from the nursery that will offer 95 childcare places. The community facilities will include a café, community hall, youth room, health space and meeting rooms. The centre, which is owned by the Council, will be run by YMCA, and should be completed later this year with opening early in 2021.

Judy Hillier, Chair of YMCA, said: “This marks an exciting moment for the new community of North Stoneham Park. The YMCA wants to support this emerging community and this great new facility will offer a place to meet others, with programmes and classes to engage and support the whole community. The nursery will provide a nurturing environment for our youngest children, developing early skills whilst also enabling parents to go to work. We will also be creating around 25 new jobs for people in the centre.”

Cllr Paul Bicknell, Cabinet Lead for Regeneration said: “North Stoneham Park is becoming a new thriving local community and many new residents have already moved in. The Council is committed to supporting initiatives which

will allow this new community to flourish and we look forward to working with the YMCA as this exciting facility will form an important part of the new local centre.”

He added, “This development shows the Council’s commitment to not only provide much needed housing but to also build sustainable communities with infrastructure coming towards the beginning of developments, rather than at the end, allowing residents to enjoy the benefits and start to create a strong community much earlier.”

The new facility forms part of a local centre for the new community at North Stoneham Park that will also include shops, offices and age-restricted flats centred around a landscaped public square.

Enquiries for nursery space or use of the community facilities are now being taken. Please email eastleigh@ymca-fg. org to find out more, or visit ymca-fg.org/ eastleigh

Picture above: Cllr Paul Bicknell, Chair of Eastleigh Local Area Committee, Guy Hayward, Managing Director, Highwood Group and Judy Hillier, Chair of YMCA