Eco-town Vision

Our vision for Whitehill Bordon Eco-town will put the outstanding natural environment at the heart of the regeneration.

The ‘Eco-town Vision’ means that new facilities, leisure opportunities, jobs, education, infrastructure and housing will be provided to enhance this unique area and create a model sustainable community that is recognised locally, regionally and nationally.

Our Vision is as follows:

• We will create an attractive town where people want to live, work, shop and play – with excellent facilities, leisure opportunities, jobs, training opportunities and a balanced mix of housing.
• We will regenerate and improve the built environment in the town so that it complements the superb surrounding landscape, whilst protecting the town’s heritage.
• We will use innovative, modern, environmentally-friendly design, incorporating eco homes and modern methods of construction.
• We will ensure that the town is regenerated in a way that encourages and enables us to live and work in ways that do not damage the natural resources upon which our society and economy depends.
• We will encourage ‘One Planet’ living (living within the planet’s means) and encourage local food production and ‘grow your own’.
• We will create a town centre that is pedestrian friendly and is well-connected to residential, employment and leisure areas.
• We will ensure there are accessible green spaces and attractive town squares.
• We will encourage investment by businesses and industries, and will particularly seek out those that share our vision of a sustainable, prosperous, environmentally-friendly community.
• We will enhance and promote public transport so that it is easier to travel around the town and to other towns and cities.
• We will create a town where regeneration and ongoing management is designed with people and nature as our priority.

Supporting targets

Biodiversity

We aim to achieve a net increase in wildlife biodiversity and to safeguard protected sites.  We will provide natural “green” spaces and routes throughout the town for people and wildlife.

Carbon Neutrality

We will create a low carbon community.  We will work with others to clarify and strengthen the definition and understanding of this concept.  We will monitor and reduce the carbon footprint of the whole town by encouraging environmentally sustainable design and living.  If possible, we will aim for the whole town to be “carbon neutral” by 2036.  This will mean that use of carbon in the whole of the town, including the new development, will not exceed the current carbon footprint, (and we will calculate exactly what this is!)

Employment and Jobs

We will increase local jobs and encourage new and existing businesses and industries; in particular those which share our vision of a sustainable and environmentally-friendly community.  We will create at least one new job per new household and will provide an additional 1,500 jobs to replace those lost by the withdrawal of the Army from Whitehill Bordon.  We will provide training opportunities for residents to maximise their employment prospects with the new businesses.

Facilities

We will seek to improve the facilities available in the town, including:-

-          Providing a new attractive and thriving town centre with a mix of uses (including community facilities);

-          New higher education and training facilities and schools;

-          New sports and leisure facilities;

-          New and enhanced community facilities;

-          Health facilities;

We will also improve access to these facilities from within the town and the wider community.

Homes

We will encourage a range of good quality, well-designed, low carbon homes built to the highest standards in well-planned neighbourhoods where people want to live.  The new homes will be of different sizes, types and tenures to meet the needs of local people, (including larger homes) and will be in walking distance of shops and facilities.

Traffic and Transport

We aim to improve public transport and provide better opportunities for walking and cycling, both within the town, and the surrounding area.  We aim to reduce the use of the car within the town.  Our target is for not more than 50% of journeys within the town to be undertaken by car.  In the long-term we hope to achieve the highest levels of “sustainable” travel (eg by train, bicycle or foot) through a variety of transport measures.  We will seek to restore a rail link for the town.

Water Neutrality

By using the existing water supply carefully and by reducing demand and wastage, we plan for the town to be “water neutral”.  This means that the water used in the whole of the town, including new development, will not exceed current levels of water use.