WHITEHILL Town Council is still not happy with suggested road names for one of the town’s new housing developments.

The Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company is in the process of naming roads in the first phase of the regeneration at Prince Philip Barracks.

The development, at Prince Philip Park, is called Dukes Quarter and will consist of 172 homes.

Last month, the town council clashed with the Regeneration Company, which is developing Prince Philip Barracks, over the proposed street names, which councillors felt lacked a theme and were not reflective of Whitehill and Bordon’s heritage.

East Hampshire District Council stepped in with a few recommendations and a revised list was drawn up. But, once again, the reception was not positive at the town council’s meeting on Monday, October 23.

The list now includes Thorpe Close, Douglas Drive/Close, Prowse End, Chandler Drive (main spine road), Gilbert White Close, Wells Close, Jane Austen Close, Webb Close, with the new suggestions of Blackburne Close (after Sir Kenneth William Blackburne), Tony Rolt Drive (after Major Anthony Peter Roylance “Tony” Rolt) and Newton Close (after Edward Newton).

Some previous suggestions, such as Brenton Close (Howard Brenton was a playwright from Portsmouth) and Dickens Close (in honour of author Charles Dickens, born in Portsmouth), have been dropped after the town council said they did not have direct links to Bordon. The rest all have suitably local connections.

But with regard to the new ideas of Blackburne, Tony Rolt and Newton, Whitehill mayor Colin Leach (Cons, Whitehill Deadwater) had a question.

Mr Leach asked fellow members if they had any idea how the suggestions related to the town. Town councillor Adam Carew (Cons, Whitehill Walldown), a local historian, said: “I haven’t a clue who these people are.”

He added that, once again: “I don’t feel we’re being entirely listened to.”

The references may well be obscure, but there does appear to be more method than madness in the suggestions. Sir Kenneth William Blackburne, a British colonial official and first governor-general of Jamaica, is said to have been born in Bordon, as is Major Anthony Peter Roylance Rolt - a racing driver and soldier.

The rationale for Newton Close is less clear, however English cricketer Edward Newton was born in Blackmoor.

Street names have to get the final thumbs up from the Post Office to ensure they are not too similar to others.

The town’s regeneration will include 3,350 new homes, a new town centre and nearly 100,000 square metres of new commercial space and many miles of new roads.

Mr Carew said “place shaping” was important as it gives a community “a sense of its own identity”.