HAMPSHIRE County Council is ready to demonstrate its support for the future of Whitehill and Bordon and the success of the area’s regeneration by allocating funding and making financial commitments to the construction of the inner relief road and a new secondary school building.

County council leader Roy Perry said: “Our readiness and ability to underwrite the relief road demonstrates the county council’s commitment, capacity and expertise in helping deliver significant projects of this scale which will benefit Hampshire’s residents in the East Hampshire district.”

The county council has offered to underwrite the costs of the second phase of the Whitehill and Bordon inner relief road, allowing work to begin on letting the contract for this important road.

While the main element of funding for this scheme is from the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership’s growth fund, the construction of the second phase of works, covering 1.9 miles of new road, will take more than one year to complete, and government funding is allocated in such a way that the Enterprise M3 LEP is not in a position itself to commit to the second year of the funding being available.

Fortunately, the county council is able to look further ahead than a one-year time span and is willing to support the local enterprise partnership and East Hampshire if that support is needed, as it appears to be.

Mr Perry went on to say: “This new road is critical to the successful regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon, and without the county council’s help it seems there would be no way to sensibly or cost effectively let a single contract to build the whole road.

“As well as the road, we have committed money to re-provision the secondary school serving Whitehill and Bordon.

“The county council has an excellent track record in education, and we know how important a good school is to any community. We are prepared to put county taxpayers’ money where we believe it will have the most positive impact on the people who really matter – Hampshire residents, now and in the future.”

In making indirect reference to EHDC’s decision to nail its colours to the Combined Solent Authority which excludes Hampshire County Council, as well as part of the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area of Winchester, Test Valley and the New Forest.

In flagging up the county council’s commitment to the Whitehill/Bordon redevelopment project, Mr Perry sights this as an example of why it is important for EHDC to remain as part of the wider Hampshire devolution bid.

He said: “This is another example where Hampshire County Council is quietly getting on with serving the community and making things happen for the good of everyone in Hampshire. It demonstrates our commitment to the future of this community and how effective local government can deliver major capital investment without the imposition of additional layers of government.

“Investing in this largely rural part of East Hampshire perfectly illustrates why I believe it would be a mistake to arbitrarily split up the Hampshire area.”

n The relief road route starts at the Whitehill crossroads in the south and travels north, along the abandoned railway line, before routing through Louisburg Barracks and re-connecting with the A325. Phase one of the works is already well under way.