Hampshire councils join forces for new garden community

A new partnership has been formed in Hampshire to develop a new garden community at Manydown in Basingstoke.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council have entered into a long-term partnership with the UK’s leading master developer Urban&Civic and global charitable foundation the Wellcome Trust.

The move comes just weeks after the decision to grant outline planning permission for the development of up to 3,520 new homes, a 250-acre country park, two primary schools with land reserved for a potential new secondary school, two local centres, businesses, shops and community facilities, as a sustainable garden community.

The outline application was submitted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council as landowners, following the purchase of a long lease on the Manydown land in 1996.

Providing a variety of homes to suit different needs and life stages, with 40% affordable housing, the development will play a vital role in meeting the borough’s housing needs.

Early estimations are that Manydown could be welcoming its first residents within three years.

This allows time for the next stages of the planning process, including community engagement and further consultation. This would be followed by infrastructure work on site, including access roads and utilities, paving the way for building homes, alongside wider community facilities.

‘For the county council, Manydown represents our highest ambition for the type of prosperous and sustainable communities we wish to develop in Hampshire for future generations,’ said Hampshire County Council leader, Cllr Keith Mans.

‘Residents will be able to enjoy good quality housing, schools and community facilities which have been carefully designed to promote social cohesiveness in an environmentally conscious and modern countryside setting.

‘This is an ambitious venture and one of the largest developments in this part of the country, and so it is appropriate that it will be led by such a unique and innovative partnership, of which we are very pleased to be a part,’ added Cllr Mans.

The chief executive of Urban&Civic, Nigel Hugill added: ‘The Manydown development is the most significant proposed in Basingstoke since the 1970s. The challenges are clear and priorities have been reset. There is no longer a presumption that town can only meet country by means of a petrol engine.

‘Equally, the fundamental underlying strengths of Basingstoke have not changed. Accessibility, connectivity and a forward-looking conviction will find new resonance in a digital age, located within the enduring magnificence of the surrounding countryside.

‘I applaud the determination of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, in conjunction with Hampshire County Council, to create a partnership capable of keeping hold of such bold ambition. Urban&Civic will relish taking charge of operational delivery.’

Photo Credit – Tama66 (Pixabay)