TOWN residents got the chance to hear about plans to regenerate Bordon’s Forest Shopping Centre last Thursday.

At a meeting, attended by around 100 people, representatives from Orchard Grove Asset Management (London) answered questions and shared their vision for the future of the centre.

They hope to implement a range of improvements to the facility in a bid to make it a more modern, spacious environment, ultimately to bring in more trade.

Although a formal planning application for the scheme is yet to be submitted, proposals are taking shape and include measures such as improved lighting and removing much of the atrium, while retaining the canopy to keep shoppers dry.

With improved CCTV and security, the developers are hoping to open up the centre as there is no reason to have barriers in place.

This, it is felt, will make the environment feel more like a high street and less like an old-fashioned 1980s shopping centre.

There are also plans to make the centre more accommodating to community events and other traders, such as farmers’ markets.

The work will be delivered in tandem with two, four-storey blocks of flats in Heathcote and Pinehill roads.

The Forest Centre has struggled over the past year, with vacant units, the loss of HSBC and the imminent closure of the Co-op store.

However, Whitehill Town Council leader Adam Carew said there was an evident desire from the new owners to make the centre as successful as possible.

“The meeting was packed - I counted 103 people - and there is a clear determination from the owners, traders, shoppers, shop workers and residents that the Forest Shopping Centre is in urgent need of investment, regeneration and a modern high-quality makeover,” Mr Carew said.

“There were a number of important questions from our local community, particularly over the issues of new shops, car parking, night-time security and the proposed four-storey flats.”

The past months have seen consultation with the town council, as well as engagement with members of the public and shopkeepers.

“Nothing is set in stone,” Mr Carew added. “Together with the meeting with Whitehill Town Council, this public consultation has provided a number of ideas and issues for the developers to examine, incorporate and address before the final submission of their plans in December.”

With Whitehill and Bordon’s overall regeneration in mind, a resounding concern is that the Forest Shopping Centre could struggle even further as thousands of new homes and facilities are built, mainly to the west of the town.

And the new town centre which, it is hoped, will include an anchor supermarket and other stores, could further draw trade away from the Forest Centre. But while the Whitehill and Bordon Regeneration Company’s plan to build 2,400 new homes and a “thriving” new town centre is snowballing, it is expected to take 15 to 20 years to complete.

Whereas, subject to planning permission, the Forest Centre will get a good head start. “They are very confident that the new-look Forest Centre can be up and running as early as the spring of next year - long before the new town centre at Prince Philip Barracks is completed,” Mr Carew said.

“The regeneration of the Forest Shopping Centre is every bit as important as other areas of our town. It is fantastic news that we have a new owner-investor willing to take on and regenerate it and we look forward to seeing their modified plans in due course.”

Graham McPhail, from Orchard Grove Asset Management, told the Bordon Herald that last week’s presentation was a worthwhile event, which proved how interested residents are in seeing the centre succeed.

“We were delighted that so many people attended the presentation last Thursday,” said Mr McPhail. “This demonstrates the community’s interest in the future of the shopping centre.

“Thursday evening provided a useful forum for us to discuss ideas with a variety of people.

“We are pleased that the community recognises the challenges the centre faces and are supportive of our plans to regenerate their shopping centre.”

The future of the Co-op unit was also discussed. Because it is felt to be not quite large enough for a supermarket but too big for a convenience store, the proposal could be to split it into three units - one for Peacocks, set to remain in situ.

But Mr McPhail said this - like many aspects of the project - is “demand driven” and ultimately depended on what retailers want.

The centre was originally opened in 1983 and provides approximately 51,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and first-floor office accommodation.

If all goes to plan, a formal application for the developments should be filed with East Hampshire District Council next month.