UP to 8,000 new homes could be built on land sold by the Ministry of Defence when the Army leaves Bordon, it emerged on Friday. The revelation came at a packed meeting of the Whitehill and Bordon Opportunity Steering Group (OSG), at which residents were told half of these homes will be built on undeveloped, open land. The more immediate impact of losing the town's military presence also became clearer when it was revealed that 2,000 jobs could be affected by the move, described as a "real problem in the short term". Representatives from the district and county councils, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Bordon barracks were grilled for more than an hour by members of the audience, keen to know details of the OSG's masterplan to boost the town's population and attract more investment. But town councillor Chris Wain compared last week's meeting with an update in 2006, saying the panel had given "the same flowery answers as before" and that the scheme "had not advanced since this time last year". The tone of the meeting was one of solidarity, with chairman Ferris Cowper, the leader of East Hampshire District Council, advising residents that "we should not be afraid to ask for a railway, a dual carriageway on the A325 or compensation for land purchases". But Mr Cowper also dropped the first bombshell, admitting that as many as 2,000 jobs in Bordon could be affected by the move, meaning a "large number of people would be negatively affected". Bordon's MP James Arbuthnot caused another surprise when he talked of the possibility of "6,000 to 8,000 houses bringing investment", whereas previous speculation had been of 5,000 to 6,500 homes. This sparked questions about overdevelopment, which the district council's chief executive, Will Godfrey, fielded by saying the optimum number remained 5,500, half of which would be on previously developed land and half on undeveloped land. Mr Godfrey ruled out any possibility of 10,000 or more homes being built, adding that work would be carried out by the OSG to determine the right number and right type of houses once the extent of freed land was known. Mr Arbuthnot qualified his words, saying: "The important thing for Bordon is that the land should not be sold in a piecemeal fashion, but with the district council to give strategic hope to the town." He confirmed that he had received assurances from the defence secretary that Defence Estates, the arm of the MoD responsible for military property, would "work with councils to deliver facilities for a better Bordon". He added: "It is essential Bordon comes out of this experience better and stronger than now. I believe there is a real chance that can happen." Charlotte Cordy-Reddon, representing Defence Estates on the OSG, confirmed that the MoD had 600 acres of land in Bordon, a third of which has buildings or concrete on it. It will be keeping 20 acres for tank-recovery training, made up of two large sites and accomodation on what is currently the officers' mess at Prince Philip barracks, off Budds Lane. The rest will be privately sold. She said: "It is important we find new uses for the freed land, not just housing, but shops, employment and community facilities. "The MoD is committed to helping produce a masterplan for the whole town, which will cover land with other owners. It needs the cooperation and commitment of everyone to make this transition as seamless as possible." Mr Godfrey echoed the call for co-operation from residents, explaining that now was the time to create a "robust framework to help with decisions down the line". "It is difficult to understand why we need to go through such a lengthy process, but lots of work needs to be done to develop the sort of town you say you want. "People say Bordon has been neglected for 20 years. They are disappointed, but the past has happened. Too many communities spend time mourning the past and not thinking about opportunities for the future." One resident challeged his comments, saying: "We (Bordon) are second fiddle to Alton and Petersfield - we get the rubbish they don't want. It's not a case of what we want but what we need, and you must listen to us. "We pay higher council tax than in Alton and Petersfield and what do we get for it? Our sewage system stinks - with 5,000 more homes it will stink even more. "Children in the area need a sports centre. That would cut down on obesity levels. Everybody else has got a sports centre. Couldn't Bordon have its own Taro Centre (leisure complex in Petersfield)?" Mr Cowper replied: "We would accept your points 100 per cent. The imbalance is undeniable, but it's been done and Bordon has suffered as a result. "The difficulty, historically, is that there was not much land to build on. You have almost articulated the point of the OSG, so I hope we can count on your support." Daphne Gardner, the district council's deputy chief executive, added: "We will work with you (residents) on the master plan. There will be more consultations, more meetings and events like this. "We will send bulletins to households and we particularly want the views of young people. Our message to you is to watch for future information, and we strongly urge you to have your say." Whitehill and Bordon's county councillor Adam Carew - who insisted on the night that all new development must be eco-friendly - later said there was "clearly concern as to where all these extra houses are going to go". He said: "What people don't want is wall-to- wall housing and that is exactly why we have launched the Green Town Vision. "It is our only hope to get a new 'green town' fit for the 21st century that will provide the facilities and infrastructure we need while protecting our unique local environment." But Jo Jordan, chairman of the Whitehill and Bordon Community Association and a member of the Whitehill and Bordon Business Breakthrough Group, was encouraged by much of what she heard. She said: "They (the OSG panelists) were trying very hard to get everyone on board and that's why we are in a superb position to make comments and suggestions about the situation and what we want out of it. "I found it encouraging that they said in public for the first time that they got it wrong in the past. "For them to say that openly was heart- warming because before it has been a case of: 'Yes, Bordon is the poor relation in East Hampshire, so what?'. "We cannot change things, but we can make a difference now because we have got permission from the authorities to make that difference. "If they meant what they said, they should work tirelessly to make sure these good deeds come to fruition. People in the town would be angry if that did not happen. "I think the OSG has made more progress in the past three weeks than in the past three years because the MoD decision has been made and the OSG has had to respond to residents' questions with a plan.
