THE Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company’s plans to make good use of old military buildings at Prince Philip Barracks, where housing will eventually be built, are going well, with every available unit full.

All buildings at the Whitehill & Bordon Enterprise Park, in Budds Lane, are now tenanted by regional and national businesses which, according to the Regeneration Company, have brought more than 200 jobs into the local area.

The park is managed by the Regeneration Company, with property agents JLL and Knight Frank overseeing letting the units.

In the future, much of the former barracks site will be levelled to make way for houses. However, in the meantime, the Regeneration Company has vast warehouse spaces which it has long been keen to open for business.

A company spokesman said interest in moving to, or setting up, businesses at the Enterprise Park highlighted that the former barracks site was becoming a popular new destination for commercial entities in the region. The former barracks has attracted a variety of organisations and companies.

For example the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is making good use of the site, exploiting unique training opportunities; and Woolmer Forest Studios provides creative spaces and environments for television and film production, events and one-off projects.

The Big Biscuit Company, The Outdoor Training Centre and Konstructa Hire have also moved onto the site.

Theatre scenery, set and prop maker Clockwork Scenery is also operating at the park; as is Beaver 84, a leading supplier of scaffolding, fencing and groundworks products. The Regeneration Company took over the management of the former military units at the start of 2016, following the Army’s move to Lyneham, Wiltshire, in 2015, and businesses have been filling the spaces ever since.

James Child, project lead at the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, said: “While the long-term regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon takes place, it is important that the site is put to good use. We want to support the local community by providing local services and businesses with appropriate commercial spaces for them to operate out of - and it is great to see so many of the commercial units now occupied at the barracks.”

The Enterprise Park has now, according to the Regeneration Company, evolved into “a great place to do business” and the aim was to see existing companies grow and create further jobs.

Mike Tasker, managing director at MSL Global, a catering, hospitality and event-management business, added: “We have been based in the Bordon area for more than 30 years and most our people live in this area too. We enjoy being part of a strong, local community and we think the creation of a commercial hub at Whitehill and Bordon will benefit businesses across the region. MSL enjoys the benefit of a developed network of local suppliers supporting our daily business activities.”

A Regeneration Company spokesman said there were approximately 35 units at the Enterprise Park. The buildings provide temporary commercial use, and leases range from short term to seven years.

The buildings will be gradually taken down over this seven-year period. New commercial space will be created in other areas of the former barracks and it is hoped that many businesses will want to take up space there too.

With vacant units elsewhere in the area, the firm may be proving that marketing and management might be king when it comes to attracting business.

Providing employment has always been a cornerstone of Whitehill and Bordon’s regeneration, and East Hampshire District Council has repeated its commitment to generating 5,500 new jobs.

Although somewhat abstract and difficult to predict, this boost in available work is seen as necessary as the 3,350 new homes being developed will lead to an estimated population increase of around 9,400.

When the regeneration project is complete, Whitehill and Bordon is likely to be the largest town in East Hampshire.