AS campaigns snowball ahead of this month’s EU referendum, residents were warned that their vote “may impact consumer confidence and the economy” locally.

But arguing against EU membership, UKIP’s Rigby Andrews, who represents Deadwater ward on Whitehill Town Council, has said : “An end to uncontrolled immigration from the EU would ease pressure on local housing, schools and medical centres.”

On June 23, the UK will vote either to remain in, or leave, the European Union and, while the decision is likely to have a significant impact on Whitehill and Bordon’s regeneration, the resounding theme is uncertainty.

However, this week both sides used the potential impact on the local regeneration to support their respective views.

East Hampshire’s MP Damian Hinds has been out campaigning over the weekend and is urging his constituents to vote to remain in the EU.

“The redevelopment of Whitehill and Bordon is a long-term strategic project, crucial for our area and with the strong backing of both local government and national Government,” he told the Bordon Herald.

“Of course, the widely projected negative impact of a Brexit on the economy overall would be unwelcome for developers and investors as for other businesses, which is a key reason why business leaders are so overwhelmingly in favour of staying in.

“Many of the businesses that can be attracted to Whitehill and Bordon would also benefit greatly from the UK remaining part of the EU in terms of export potential.

“And EU membership is a key part of Britain’s foreign-direct-investment ‘sales pitch’.

“I do firmly believe we will be stronger, safer and better off remaining part of the EU. But come what may, the redevelopment of Whitehill and Bordon, with all the benefits it can bring, will continue to be an absolute top priority and a huge opportunity for our area.”

The result of Britain’s departure, it is feared, could have a knock-on effect in terms of the wide range of funding which is set to be invested in Whitehill and Bordon.

Previously, James Child, the project lead at the Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company, which is developing the Prince Philip Barracks site, said a great deal of thought had to be given to preparing “for the twists and turns of economics”.

And, as “no one knows quite what’s going to happen” with the EU vote, he explained that when forecasting a 2,400-home regeneration project, “we have to think about these things”.

However, the Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company kept its cards close to its chest this week, declining to comment on how it thinks the referendum might affect local developments.

This is not to understate the importance of the vote and, while the firm did not wish to expand on the specifics, nor try to sway voters either way, a spokesman on behalf of the Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company said: “The position is that the impact of Brexit is unknown and the result of the referendum may impact consumer confidence and the economy. We will take stock after Brexit.”

But some sections of Whitehill and Bordon have already given clues as to how they might vote, with last year’s election of UKIP’s Mr Andrews to Whitehill Town Council being a clear local endorsement of the party’s key aim.

Mr Andrews insisted that, while he is adamantly against remaining a member of the EU, his views are his own and not those of the town council.

“Voting to leave the EU is about taking back control of the way our country is governed,” he said.

“This has major and obvious implications at a national level but the consequences of regaining our political sovereignty will also be highly effective at a local level.

“For a start we can spend the billions we send to the EU as we wish.

“True, we get some of our contribution back but it always comes with strings attached as to how we can use it. That has to be a boon for all of us whether it’s about building a new hospital or a new roadway to serve a local community like Bordon and Whitehill.

“An end to uncontrolled immigration from the EU would ease pressure on local housing, schools, medical centres.

“Immigration at the current levels is putting upward pressure on housing for example and downward pressure on wages. This is not good for ordinary people. I know of many young couples in the area fearful that their dream of owning their own home one day is becoming an ever more remote prospect.

“Neither should people be made afraid by the Government’s relentless and frankly abusive scaremongering. We had all the same scare stories from the same political fat cats when they tried to persuade us to join the Euro. What a disaster that would have been. And what we are seeing in this campaign is just a re run of the same mumbo jumbo from the same discredited political and financial elite.”

The regeneration team at East Hampshire District Council was approached but declined to comment.

The rhetoric might be extreme and the implications of many of the grey, subjective areas exaggerated, but those wishing to double check factual claims made by either side can do so at fullfact.org.