THE new project co-ordinator for the Hindhead Together Partnership, took up her post this week. Caroline White joins the project, which aims to use the construction of the £371m A3 tunnel, to plan a new vision for the future of Hindhead, after working for Surrey Police Authority for the last seven years. Mrs White lives near Haslemere and has a lot of experience of the Hindhead area, and the traffic problems the A3 tunnel scheme will solve. She said: "I'm really excited to be embarking upon this once in a lifetime opportunity to help shape the vision for the future of Hindhead. "I hope to be able to use the knowledge that I have gained in my seven years of working for the Surrey Police Authority to engage and inspire the local residents and businesses. "I have been involved in community engagement, communications and consultations, working with residents, stakeholders, partners and businesses, as part of my work in policing and community safety. "I look forward to using these experiences in co- ordinating the Hindhead project effectively." The task facing the Hindhead Together Partnership is to work alongside those building the road scheme to make the most of the economic, social and environmental opportunities the tunnel offers for the wider Hindhead area. Among several priorities, the group believes it is vital that development is appropriate to the needs of residents and businesses, while also protecting and enhancing the Hindhead Common's Special Protection Area and the wider Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Some of the benefits being pursued by the Hindhead Together Partnership include restoring an internationally important heathland landscape recognised as a Special Protection Area for birds; exploring new opportunities for access and tourism. Other goals include developing the economic role of Hindhead, enhancing the landscape of the Surrey Hills' Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, improving the centre of Hindhead, assisting the National Trust with balancing the needs of recreational users, wildlife and landscape restoration projects. The tunnel scheme will complete the dual carriageway link between London and Portsmouth and remove a major source of congestion, particularly around the A3 and A287 traffic signal controlled crossroads. The new road will be four miles long and includes twin-bored tunnels under the Devil's Punch Bowl Site of Special Scientific Interest. The tunnel is expected to open in mid 2011.
