FOLLOWING last week's meeting about the possible regeneration of the High Street, a local action group is appealing for the EHDC to do more to aid its progress.
The Business Breakthrough Forum organised a meeting for business owners based on Chalet Hill and the High Street last Tuesday to discuss the district council's development ideas for the area.
Thirty-eight people attended the meeting including two East Hampshire District Council planning officers who attempted to answer questions about the council's draft development plans as well as allay fears about the compulsory purchase orders (CPOs).
Due to previous failed applications, one local retailer was concerned that there was some sort of embargo on development in the area which was hindering progress, however the planning officers maintained that this was not the case.
"There is no embargo, but we are concerned that anything (ie development) in the interim does not jeopardise any long-term development.
"We need to ensure that the applications provide the right infrastructure and do not make it difficult to improve the area in the future," said Steve Proctor, EHDC planning officer.
"My personal view is that certain areas need enhancing. The thing which may have forced the district council's hand is that the MoD may move away.
"To attract people to stay, you must have a good shopping centre. Something needs to be done, and as soon as possible," said one business owner.
Some who attended the meeting were slightly wary of the development proposal citing that the town has for years suffered from a lack of development and support from both local and district council level.
Mike Salczynski believed that various applications have been turned down for "ridiculous" reasons.
Samantha Buckingham, a Lynton Road resident who attended the meeting, said that she was all for the regeneration of Bordon and Whitehill but was angered because she felt that the residents were being kept in the dark.
"I feel threatened here being a minority on Lynton Road. I have had no-one in the last year consult me as a resident with these plans," Ms Buckingham pointed out.
Mr Proctor tried to reassure the meeting members that in future everyone would be consulted about possible development ideas.
"We will not be overriding the rights of individuals. Some sort of improvement is necessary, but will only be carried out with due regard to residents," Mr Proctor added.
Town and district councillor Zoya Faddy believed that the meeting was a useful forum to gauge the opinion of local business and hoped that serious action is taken to revamp the area.
She said: "We don't want to see other local businesses disappear. We need people to invest and not just from the area. People are having to go to Farnham and elsewhere just to buy clothes.
"The dates for action seem to be slipping and I don't want to see it put a blight on regeneration plans. I hope something definite can be taken from the meeting."
Ian Dowdle of the Business Breakthrough group said: "The main points that came out of Tuesday's meeting from the planners was that a great deal of emphasis has been placed on the Bordon and Whitehill Opportunity and, as I said at the meeting, that is scheduled for the next seven to 20 years."
He added: "It appears that planning officers can now see the need for a swifter development to occur on the High Street.
"The Bordon and Whitehill Opportunity is not guaranteed anyway. It all revolves around on whether the MoD is going to pull out or not.
"It's not just a case of producing a local plan, I think the EHDC could be more pro-active in trying to get something moving. It takes a combination of three things business, community and local government."
Mr Dowdle felt that the town council fully supported the idea of re-developing the High Street and Chalet Hill, but he would like a bigger push from district level.
"We have businesses that want it, a community that wants it and the local council wants it, so all we need now is EHDC to really back the whole idea and have some input.
"EHDC has done a lot, but we want a little more. We are not asking for a handout we are asking for a 'hand up', which would include the removal of some of the bureaucratic systems to allow business to flourish," Mr Dowdle added.
He also saw car parking as a major issue in the area and hoped that the district council could help to solve this problem.
"There is a car park at the top of Chalet Hill which is supposed to service the High Street and Chalet Hill. If that car park is not good enough to service both areas, then it needs to be improved, either upgraded or have better access, or another car park provided.
"If that is an EHDC car park, then it will have to do something about it. At the moment the car park situation is impeding any progress on the High Street.
"Bordon and Whitehill is the equivalent size to Petersfield or Alton and what is quite often forgotten at district council level, is that it's not just Bordon and Whitehill.
"You need to add on the populations of Lindford, which is due to expand, Headley and Headley Down, Kingsley, Blackmoor, Greatham and Stanford. People from these areas come to use Bordon's facilities.
"Even if you don't include these satellite communities, Bordon is the second largest town in East Hampshire, but we seem to be really lacking in facilities and retail.
"If the conditions are set, things can start happening next year but we can't afford to wait for between seven to 20 years.
"If we can get that inward investment which is ready and waiting, perhaps we can attract the outside investment," Mr Dowdle said.