IT may not be on the scale of London’s Shard but the height of what will be the tallest building in Bordon, marking the gateway to the town, was one of the concerns expressed by Whitehill councillors at an extraordinary meeting on Monday.

Whitehill Town Council was meeting to discuss the reserved-matters application before the building of phase one of the new town centre comes before East Hampshire District Council for final approval.

After the meeting Mr Tree, leader of the Whitehill & Bordon Community Party, told the Bordon Herald: “Our party supports the regeneration of Whitehill and Bordon and is very excited about the prospects of a new cinema, shops and facilities. I personally fought for the six-lane swimming pool to be built, now promised for 2019. It is a time to reflect so positively on what the future may now hold as we start 2018.”

The plan would see retail units for a food store, pub, cafes and restaurants and professional and financial services. There would also be a six-screen cinema, offices, a community business hub, a street market, light industrial buildings, residential apartments and maisonettes, and podium gardens.

The former Sergeants’ Mess will be converted into pubs and restaurants and there will be new footpaths and circulation roads, new access roads, car parking, including a multi-story car park, cycle parking, as well as a transport hub.

This first phase will also see the construction of a town park, squares, a petanque area and landscaping. Monday’s special meeting gave members the chance to put their views to East Hampshire planners on any changes they want for this all-important first phase of the town’s regeneration.

With the exception of town councillor Sally Pond, who sat out, none of Whitehill’s district council members were present. Ms Pond is the district councillor for Whitehill Chase ward.

Town clerk Andrea Mann said the plan was to have the new Mill Chase Academy secondary school and leisure area completed by 2019 and the opening of the shops in 2020.

Council chairman Leslie Webber said the district council had approved the outline plan and this was members’ chance to add their views and comments on reserved matters before it came before the district council for the final vote.

Council leader Mark Davison asked why the five-storey building, which will possibly be mixed retail and apartments, had been placed in the highest part of the town centre rather than on the lowest.

“I feel there will be a massive loss of sunlight in this area and this block is just too high and just too imposing,” he said.

“Also, why put the tallest building, described as ‘the gateway to the town’, in the middle of the town? It should be at the entrance on the A325.”

As the meeting progressed, he raised other issues that worried him, such as whether enough parking was being provided, hoping the planners had taken into account the lack of public transport in the town.

Others raised concerns about there being “no hope” of having a police station and, although councillor Chris Mitchell said memners were “pursuing Lloyds Bank”, he was not hopeful of the town getting back its bank.

Councillors were also concerned about the impact on wildlife and light pollution as no lighting strategy had been provided.

Ms Webber said this was a condition the council would add, and Ms Mann reminded them the plan was still a work in progress and had still to be discussed by East Hampshire District Council.

Town councillors had now expressed their concerns on the matters they did not agree with which would go forward to district planners, said councillor Andy Tree, adding: “Although I feel our concerns get lost at district as effectively they don’t understand this town. They don’t live here and see us only as a mouthpiece and we are not happy with it.”

“We are not a subsidiary of the district council,” said Mr Davison. “We are here in our own right and we have lost faith in them. I wouldn’t like this council left standing.”

Disagreeing, Ms Webber said: “I don’t think we can say: ‘We don’t trust the district council.’”

When members asked about crime prevention in the new town centre, clerk Ms Mann said it was hoped, because there would be so many people in the area, it would be self regulating but CCTV was to be installed.

Councillor Ian Georgii asked if any new offices for the town council were in the town-centre plan.

The protection of wildlife was also another concern, although it was good the Hogmoor Inclosure (green recreation space) was now in place, said councillor Chris Mitchell, adding it was important to get the bat roost.

Councillor Roger Russell proposed that councillors offer no objection to the phase-one, reserved-matters plan - subject to getting clarification at the district-council planning meeting on the lighting, transport and parking strategies, height of the five-storey block and its siting. The majority of members voted in agreement, but Mr Davison, Mr Georgii and Lynne Malikoff-Johnston voted against it.

Ms Pond said it was vital that the town council’s views were heard. “This is so special and you will have three minutes to speak on the application,” she said. “I will also take back your comments to my fellow planners.”