Prince Philip Park regeneration is ‘business as usual’, unfettered by political turmoil
The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC) hosted the most recent of its Community Question Time events on 27th October, and reassured the residents of Whitehill & Bordon that it’s “business as usual” for the regeneration project despite the recent chaos around central government and the economy.
Addressing the capacity audience at the Phoenix Theatre, James Child, Project Lead at WBRC, said “we’re here to get on with the job”, adding that delivery of the Morrisons supermarket, Mess Hall, and Health Hub is not going to be hindered by current economic struggles.
Child explained that, while Morrisons has recently announced that it will close some stores and even suspend the opening of others, the new outlet in Prince Philip Park has already been contractually agreed. It is still estimated to be open by Easter 2024.
Child went on to explain that the only change to plans brought on by recent economic strife is that WBRC will pause the delivery of some residential units in the town centre.
“Mortgage rates have hit a high,” Child said, “which means demand for new homes is likely to slow until buyers see rates start to drop or level out. Because of this, we’re going to pause the delivery of these town centre apartment units for 12 months to allow rates to settle and confidence to return to the market once the economic turbulence subsides.”
Free parking extension and the return of Bordon spring water
In other news, Child announced that the one hour of free parking at The Shed is to be extended to two hours during the day; and that the service charges for owners of new-build homes in Prince Philip Park are going to be reduced with full details to be announced in the coming weeks. Child explained that both moves are “small gestures” of recognition that the cost of living is rising and an attempt to keep more money in the pockets of the community.
WBRC also revealed that Whitehill & Bordon is in the early stages of potentially having its very own bottled water company. The company in question is currently in the process of checking that the local wells are good enough to produce the required supply of spring water. If they are, the town could once again have its own bottled water just like it did around 100 years ago.
It’s all part of WBRC’s pledge to create one new local job for every new home built, a target that is currently being beaten thanks to the arrival of large companies such as Asmodee and the emergence of dozens of successful small, local businesses.
Support the Community Trust
Sarah Jane Bartlett from the Community Trust gave a short, passionate presentation about all of the great work being conducted by The Trust from running Cafe Hogmoor and Building 94, to charity fundraising, and dementia support.
The trust does vital work throughout the town and touches the lives of countless members of the community. Such is the demand for their work that The Trust needs more hands on deck. They’re looking for trustees and volunteers, so anyone who is interested is encouraged to contact The Trust via the details provided on their website.
James Child, Project Lead at The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, says:
“The Phoenix was very well-attended for this question time and it no longer surprises me just how passionate and knowledgeable the local community is with regards to this project and their hometown.
“As project leader, I acknowledge that we have made some mistakes during this project and, thanks partly to the input of the community, we have been able to fix those mistakes. But I’m also confident that we have done some very good things for our town and I want to thank the community for its role in both supporting the good and bringing awareness to the things that we need to improve.
“There are understandable concerns in and around the town that the current political situation is going to negatively impact the regeneration project, but we’re confident that we can minimise the impact of this on the project by focusing on Morrisons and the employment opportunities we can bring to the town”.