THE man in charge of improving the immediate future of Bordon's economy has welcomed a possible vision for a new town centre published by the district council. Ian Dowdle, chairman of the Bordon Business Breakthrough Group, said that drawings issued by East Hampshire District Council, in its Partners magazine, compliment ideas held by the group for the past three years. The computer-generated images show a large retail, leisure and business park in the High Street on the north side of the A325, on the site of what is now an industrial estate. The development, which would be contained between the top of Chalet Hill and the roundabout leading to Conde Way, would feature a pub, a hotel, a shopping centre and offices. It would be built on the industrial estate and on Ministry of Defence land behind, expected to be freed up when the future of the army is decided by the end of this year. The images have been compiled by the Whitehill and Bordon Opportunity Steering Group, established to co-ordinate development and improvement work in the town whether the army presence is increased or decreased. Mr Dowdle said the High Street was the perfect place to develop a new town centre as it was more accessible than the Forest shopping and community centres.
