THE LOCAL economy has received a welcome boost with the news of more than 1,000 jobs being created.

The Longmoor Apple Pie Depot – a former Army warehouse complex – has been sold in an agreement which will see approximately 400 new jobs created in East Hampshire.

The circa 15-acre site near Whitehill & Bordon has been purchased in a multi-million pound deal by global real estate investment manager BentallGreenOak (BGO), alongside development partner Equation Properties.

Sold by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, the deal will see the dilapidated warehouses which currently occupy the land replaced by sustainable warehousing and manufacturing facilities.

If the planning process, with the application scheduled to be submitted in early 2022, continues as expected, the facilities will be up and running by August 2023, ready to be occupied by September 2023.

The sale forms part of the redevelopment of Whitehill & Bordon, overseen by the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company and centred around Prince Philip Park.

The town’s regeneration has already created more than 600 jobs, and brought dozens of new businesses to the area.

James Child, project lead at the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, said: “This sale is wonderful news for Whitehill & Bordon, and Prince Philip Park. It means the town becomes a location for leading global occupiers.

“We are excited about this sale and it gives a huge boost to our ambition to turn Whitehill & Bordon from a regional business hub into an essential base for today’s and tomorrow’s most exciting companies.

“With this sale, the ceiling on Whitehill & Bordon’s economic potential has been significantly raised.”

Cllr Richard Millard, East Hampshire District Council leader, said: “This sale is another step on our journey towards transforming Whitehill & Bordon from a garrison to a green, healthy and connected town.

“It will be a boost for job opportunities in the East Hampshire and South Downs regions and it shows we continue to be a strong growth region for inward investment in the UK.

“The speed of progress is breath-taking and I am looking forward to seeing plans for this important part of the town.”

Gareth Purcell, managing director at BGO, said: “BGO is delighted to announce the acquisition of this strategically well-located site for the development of Grade A industrial/distribution space in conjunction with our development partner Equation Properties.

“The Apple Pie Depot is no longer fit for purpose, so our plan is to replace the existing warehouses with a best-in-class product which we anticipate will appeal to a wide variety of both national and regional/local end-users.”

In another economic boost, the new Esso aviation fuel pipeline is expected to create between 700 and 1,000 jobs.

The pipeline will run from Fawley to London Heathrow, passing through Alton and Crondall along the way.

Wimpey Taylor Woodrow has the two-year contract and Carmichael UK is the agency responsible for recruitment.

It is anticipated at the peak there will between 700 and 1,000 extra jobs created.

Various positions including drivers, cleaners, ground workers, banksmen and plant operatives.

Aldershot Construction Collage is facilitating Construction Skills Certification Scheme training – which will include all the cards required to apply for these positions, for example working with abrasive wheels and harness awareness.

The latest unemployment figures also make encouraging reading.

In the figures to November 2021, 1,673 people in East Hampshire claimed unemployment related benefits, which was a 40 per cent drop on the previous year.

In Waverley 1,546 people claimed the unemployment benefits, which was a 37 per cent drop on the previous year.