APPROVAL has been granted more than £3m of Government funding to create more jobs at the former Louisburg Barracks in the town.

The Homes and Communities Agency will use the money to further develop the employment sector, creating infrastructure to support new serviced plots for business use.

These new plots, alongside the Business and Enterprise Centre being developed at the old sergeants’ mess, will contribute to an estimated 500 new jobs at Louisburg - a long-held target by regeneration stakeholders.

This comes just weeks after Whitehill and Bordon was announced as part of a multi-site Enterprise Zone status area which, according to the Homes and Communities Agency, has “the potential to support up to 200 new businesses and more than 10,000 jobs across three sites in the sci-tech corridor”.

In his Autumn Statement in November, Chancellor George Osborne announced this new Enterprise Zone for Basing View, in Basingstoke, Longcross Park, in Chertsey, and Whitehill and Bordon.

Serviced plots are parcels of land prepared in advance for development. This speeds up the ability to get business premises built, helping to create potential new jobs faster than would otherwise be possible.

The Homes and Communities Agency will organise gas, electricity, water, road access and parking for each site, and ensure they are connected to the town’s new relief road, construction of which is well underway at Louisburg.

As the Government’s land, housing and regeneration agency, the HCA will invest more than £20m in Louisburg and Quebec barracks, to make sure that disused land is transformed to create homes and jobs “as quickly as possible”.

Kevin Bourner, head of area at the Homes and Communities Agency, said this latest bit of cash will make a significant difference to their efforts at the barracks.

“This additional £3.5m will give a massive boost to the Louisburg site,” he said.

“Alongside the 500 homes we’re building at the former barracks with Barratt David Wilson Homes, we are committed to creating new jobs for the local community. And with the Enterprise Zone having been announced, I’m confident that Whitehill and Bordon can attract new businesses to the area.”

Ferris Cowper, leader of East Hampshire District Council, is pleased work is being done to streamline potential investment.

“East Hampshire District Council is aiming to be one of the most business-friendly councils in the UK and this funding enables us to boost what we’re offering to them,” he said. “These new plots are being specifically developed for businesses, so they will get exactly what they need in a great location.

Businesses will also benefit from the Enterprise Zone with a 100 per cent business rate discount for five years, making the town an attractive place to set up shop.

“This funding also shows that the Government is 100 per cent committed to the successful transformation of Whitehill and Bordon with new homes, 5,500 new jobs, new facilities and new opportunities.”

A hybrid planning application for Louisburg was granted late in 2014 and included outline permission for 500 residential units and full permission for a 970-metre section of the relief road. Key to the project, the new road will pass through the centre of the development - this section has been named Louisburg Avenue.

Along with Quebec Park, which is to host 100 houses and will formally begin this week with a launch event, the transformation of Louisburg Barracks is the start of the town’s regeneration, which will see construction of around 3,500 new homes and a raft of facilities.

The old sergeants’ mess, Broxhead House, is hoped to be a source of the ambitious new jobs target, having received permission to be transformed into a Business and Enterprise Centre.

Also with permission on site is the Future Skills Centre - a new building which will provide vocational training, with a focus on construction skills which is seen as an essential way to encourage developers to use a local workforce, instead of shipping in tradesmen.

Businesses taking up occupancy in an Enterprise Zone such as Whitehill and Bordon before March 31, 2022, could save up to £275,000 in business rates.

Town council leader Adam Carew said: “This is positive news for our town and the prospect of this economic transformation looks very exciting.”