At a meeting of Whitehill Town Council’s Executive last week, councillors discussed the limited options available after it was confirmed the nursery will shut. The current site, on Ministry of Defence (MOD) land, has been earmarked for housing.
Parents voiced shock at the announcement, despite the land having been designated for redevelopment for more than 10 years.
Joanne Huckell, a local parent, said: “The issue for me is not finding new places at nursery in the area for my children. It is the loss of a long-standing nursery which has been in the town for more than 30 years.”
James Childs, project lead at the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, said: “We are deeply saddened that Garrison Nursery will no longer be able to make use of their current premises, and recognise the worry and disruption this will cause to families, staff and the wider community.
“The building has now reached a point where it is no longer fit for purpose. Persistent roofing failures, water ingress, electrical issues and other potential hazards mean that temporary repairs are no longer sufficient, and continuing to operate from the site would not be safe or responsible.”
The regeneration company is planning a new nursery on Budds Lane, which would not be a direct replacement for Garrison. The nursery would be welcome to bid to operate from the site alongside other providers.
Whitehill Town Council leader Cllr Andy Tree said: “The site is MOD land and was approved for housing more than 10 years ago during the discussion to regenerate Bordon. These decisions were made before social media and it is why many people were surprised by the announcement.”
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