Prince Philip Park, Hampshire

The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC) is a joint venture between Dorchester Regeneration and Taylor Wimpey appointed by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to redevelop the former Prince Philip Barracks. We are taking the master developer and development manager role, as well as delivering phase one and two homes via our regional South Thames business.

Social

Prince Philip Park is a residential-led, mixed use development that will include community facilities, two schools and a new town centre, as well as 2,400 new sustainable homes for private sale, affordable housing, social rent, rent to buy and shared ownership.

The development is being designed to encourage active lifestyles and to be accessible for elderly residents and those with disabilities or dementia. One of the central features will be an integrated health hub bringing together GP surgeries with services such as physiotherapy, fitness and social care. A seven mile ‘green loop’ and ‘green grid’ connects the whole site together and enables residents to walk and cycle to their homes, workplaces and leisure facilities on attractive paths.

New green spaces, a natural play area, sports pavilion, skate park and community garden were all opened before any customers moved into their new homes. A series of sporting and active lifestyle events have also been launched, including a parkrun, roller hockey and cricket matches, a healthy eating programme for local children, and Golden Mile which encourages children to walk a mile a day.

The site participated in the NHS Healthy New Towns programme and was informed by research into local health needs. This identified challenges such as above average levels of childhood obesity, below average levels of readiness to start school, perceived barriers to activity for families and social isolation.

Environmental

This site has a detailed Green Infrastructure Strategy and includes over 100 hectares of public open space providing a wide range of interconnected landscape to benefit nature and residents. For example, the Hogmoor Inclosure provides an extensive area of semi- natural green space located adjacent to the main residential community and is connected to other green spaces on site via green corridors including the Bordon Inclosure, Oxneygreen corridor, the Deadwater Valley and a wider network of habitats off site. The town’s green loop runs through or adjacent to several of these green spaces.

Habitat enhancements on Hogmoor Inclosure have seen 5 hectares of pine plantation reverted to heathland habitat and two new water bodies created to encourage a greater diversity of species particularly invertebrates and amphibians. As a result, there has been increase in newts, frogs and other species. Woodlark has now been recorded in these areas demonstrating suitable habitat for a wider range of birds, as well as more sightings of green woodpecker and red kites. One hundred wildlife boxes have been integrated as well as a hibernation bat roost and maternity bat roost, deadwood log piles and bug hotels. The Inclosure is being managed by a local conservation charity, the Deadwater Valley Trust (DVT) in partnership with the Land Trust and a monitoring programme is taking place covering heather, moths, reptiles, and amphibians lead by DVT and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust. Early data shows evidence of heather regrowth as well as pioneer plant species such as Coral Necklace.

The Bordon Inclosure has been improved with new footpaths, cycle tracks and picnic areas – as well as wildlife enhancements. The Oxney watercourse has been enhanced and naturalised, to improve aquatic habitat for plants and animals. The drain now forms the central part of the site wide surface water drainage strategy.

Both Hogmoor Inclosure and Bordon Inclosure are SANGs (Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspaces), designed to reduce recreational pressure on Special Protection Areas (SPA) and two Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) that are close to the site.

Economic

The new town centre, now under construction is designed to be a place to meet, shop and eat. It will include new shops, offices, cafes, restaurants, a market, a drive in cinema at one of the heritage buildings and a food store. A new six lane swimming pool has opened in a new leisure centre. A new Heritage Centre will be created and many of the garrison’s landmark buildings will be restored and integrated into the town centre.

The Shed, opened in May 2021, is a new hub for eating, shopping and working. It offers space for local food businesses as well as creative workspaces, and space for pop-ups, workshops and arts and crafts evenings. It includes the Cube events space, that will host entertainment from comedy nights to music and theatre events.

Young artist, architect and designer Shiraaz Ali has been commissioned to develop an artwork on the façade of the Sandhurst Block, the former main battalion building which sits in the new town centre.

The development has also contributed to the Shipwrights Way a new 50-mile long distance path for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders, linking the towns and villages of East Hampshire to the beautiful countryside on their doorstep. This route is the only off-road access for cyclists and horse-riders leading south into the South Downs National Park. It is hoped that local people will use the Shipwrights Way to explore and enjoy the countryside and that rural pubs, shops and tourism businesses will benefit.

The development is expected to create around 3,000 new jobs and the Whitehill & Bordon Future Skills Centre is supporting the development of local apprentices. Former army training and storage facilities have been rented out to local businesses, providing affordable workspaces under the trading name of Bordon Enterprise Park.