A BORDON businessman has called for investment along the town's neglected High Street at the same time as moving into an unoccupied outlet situated there. Ian Dowdle, chairman of the Whitehill and Bordon Business Breakthrough Group, believes that an increase in the town's population after the Minsitry of Defence's (MOD) withdrawal means facilities must be improved. Work is due to begin on the Forest Centre integration project later this year, but Mr Dowdle also believes that essential improvements should be made elsewhere. He said: "We need to make shopping in Bordon more customer and user friendly, and certainly more attractive. "At the moment the High Street along the A325 is the result of 20 years of neglect and we need to reverse it. "But it's not just that row of shops, it's those along Chalet Hill as well. If 5,500 new homes are to be built, we need to look at putting the correct infrastructure in place to cater for the increase in population." If an average of three people per household move onto the land where the MOD is set to withdraw, this would result in a near doubling of Whitehill and Bordon's population and would leave it as the largest town in North East Hampshire. "This figure wouldn't include the satellite villages of Lindford, Selborne and others. "It would be far better to have two main shopping areas - the Forest Centre and one on the High Street. "You only have to compare the facilities in Alton and Petersfield to realise just how far away we are in Bordon. They have all their facilities in the centres and are recognisable. Here there is little available and nowhere to go. "The Forest Centre is full so we must encourage new traders onto the High Street." Mr Dowdle opened his bicycle shop Robin Cycles on April 3 after seven years of selling bicycles in Lindford. He added: "I'm happy to put my money where my mouth is and say to people 'follow me'." East Hampshire District Council has consultants looking into ways of improving the area and will report back to the Whitehill and Bordon Oppor- tunity Steering Group in the near future with options. Mr Dowdle added: "It is the ideal time to start work on this initial phase. The High Street can be developed now in time for the withdrawal of the Army in 2013 and it wouldn't affect the town's operation in the short-term. "The district council have been very good in the way they have been consulting, but they need to keep it going. If we make the investment now, we will be saving a lot of money in the future. We need to put a masterplan into place and break it up into phases as this will be the easiest way to make the transition. Investment in the High Street could be the first piece of the jigsaw." Gerry Thorne, town improvement manager for Whitehill and Bordon, agrees that investment needs to be put in place and that a recognisable shopping centre should form part of that plan. He said: "No- one disagrees that improvements need to be carried out, but people may differ on what kind of improvements - whether it's a quick fix or a long- term solution.We really want to create a link between the Forest Centre and the High Street and make it look good as a focal point for the town. "We need to make sure the facilities on offer are in the best interests of the community."
