DESCRIBED as the first major infrastructure project of the Whitehill and Bordon redevelopment, work started this week on phase one of the new relief road.

It is planned that the “critical” new road will support and accelerate the town’s redevelopment, which will create 3,350 new homes, 5,500 new jobs, a new town centre, schools and leisure facilities. The first phase of work is on the stretch of road from the north of the town through Louisburg Barracks and is due to be completed by autumn next year.

Funded by the Homes and Communities Agency, the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, it forms part of the wider transformation of the former military facility.

Kevin Bourner, head of area at the Homes and Communities Agency, said: “The new road will provide crucial access to development sites across the area, but it’s much more important than that. This infrastructure will kickstart the town’s transformation and support investment that will benefit local people for generations to come.

“It also forms part of a major redevelopment project for the Homes and Communities Agency at Louisburg - a site which will provide 500 new homes for the people of Whitehill and Bordon.”

The Agency has committed £5.5million to delivering the first phase of the five-kilometre (3.1-mile) road. It is being managed by Hampshire County Council and built by the Raymond Brown Group, in Ringwood.

The Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partner-ship (LEP) has signed off a further £17.5m funding for phase two of the road, which will begin next year.

Once complete, the road will run from the north of the town, through the garrison sites, and use part of the disused railway route. It will then connect with the A325 and continue to the Liphook Road junction.

As well as providing access to the main development sites, including the new town centre, it will also relieve the pressure on the existing A325.

Sean Woodward, Ham-pshire County Council’s executive member for economy, transport and environment, said: “The county council has been working hard developing and designing a new relief road with partners and local residents to ensure it is not only fit for purpose for years to come but also takes into consideration the environmental surroundings.

“The relief road will provide a much-needed route through the new town to encourage economic growth, provide access to the new housing areas and reduce congestion in and around the A325 by offering an attractive alternative to road users. The council will endeavour to keep residents informed of prog-ress and keep disruption to a minimum throughout the project.”

The Homes and Comm-unities Agency is also working closely with East Hampshire District Cou-ncil, the Defence Infra-structure Organisation and the Enterprise M3 LEP, along with Hamp-shire County Council, on both the road and the wider regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon.

Ferris Cowper, leader of the district council, said: “The great plea from the residents of East Hampshire is to have infrastructure to match the needs of new housing.

“Well, here we have our new road started before a single house has been built. That shows the immense commitment of the district council and our partners to delivering a well-balanced town that our residents will be proud to call home.”

LEP board chairman Geoff French said: “This is the first major investment in infrastructure Whitehill and Bordon has seen and will help unlock the economic potential of the town. This is an exciting project that will encourage growth in the area and eventually support the buoyant town centre that is to come.”