A FACELIFT at a known trouble spot in Whitehill has been held up after it transpired that the area is also a site of historical importance. Following recent discussions between East Hampshire District Council and Whitehill Police Station, the area around the junction of Petersfield Road and Sutton Fields was highlighted as a "focus for youths to congregate around". Pc Alan Read said the bench outside number 1 Sutton Fields, facing the main road, attracted big groups which brought with it the risk of anti-social behaviour. The hill on the opposite side of the road in front of the Whitehill Village Hall, which is covered with bushes and scrub, was also singled out as being "a hiding place for dubious activities, including drinking alcohol". EHDC officer Peter Fletcher wrote to Whitehill Town Council (WTC), which owns the land, last month, requesting that the bench and vegetation be removed "so that the area is opened up and less attractive for youths to hide in". Evidence of anti-social behaviour in the area included repeated vandalism of the fence behind the bench, minor fires started in the bushes and extensive graffitti on the back wall of Whitehill Village Hall. In response, WTC has in the last fortnight removed the bench at the top of Sutton Fields. However, removing vegetation from the hill has been a slower process as the hill itself is actually one of 52 bronze age burial mounds located in the Bordon area. The town council clerk has been informed by Hampshire County Council's archaeology department that vegetation can be cut back and trees trimmed as long as the work does not go below ground level. Any more extensive work would first require an application for scheduled monument consent. At a WTC meeting this week, Chris Wain said the Whitehill Village Hall committee was "happy at the prospect" of shrubbery being cut back as the hall had experienced trouble partly due to its secluded nature. She added that the committee just wanted the bushes to be trimmed to give higher visibility to the hall. Town council clerk Trish Bell told councillors that work on the site might be an opportunity to bring the whole area up to an appearance which would help prevent anti-social behaviour. Adam Carew suggested that passing legally enforceable by-laws banning certain types of behaviour could be a way of dealing with anti- social behaviour on all council-owned land in future. Further advice on treating greenery on the mounds is being sought from English Heritage.
