REINVIGORATE – WHITEHILL & BORDON REGENERATION COMPANY
Nominations Address: Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, Enterprise Park, Building 51E, Budds Lane, Bordon, Hampshire, GU35 0FJ
Involved Partners: The project provides lessons as an effective and successful town centre regeneration partnership between the public and private sectors, involving the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), Homes England, East Hampshire District Council, Enterprise M3 LEP and Hampshire County Council, enabled by the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company (WBRC), itself a joint venture between Taylor Wimpey and Dorchester Regeneration. Conscientiously and collaboratively involving the whole community, including councils at all tiers, environmental charities, schools and local businesses (many of whom have been provided with start-up opportunities and training at the Shed), the project is deeply seated within the town and has embraced an incredible cast of local characters who have befriended the transformation process.
Investor/Developer Name: Dorchester Regeneration, Taylor Wimpey South Thames & Defence Infrastructure Organisation.
Investor/Developer Address: Dorchester Regeneration, 12 Hay Hill, Mayfair, London, W1J8NR. Taylor Wimpey South Thames, Thornetts House, Challenge Ct, Leatherhead, KT22 7DE. Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), 2nd Floor, Zone 1 (IDL 421). Ramillies Building, Marlborough Lines, Monxton Road, Andover, SP11 8HJ
The Shed in Whitehill & Bordon, sits at the heart of the brand-new town centre and regeneration of Prince Phillip barracks, transforming this community of 15,000 to over 24,000 people. The new town centre will feature much-needed new shops, foodstore, cafes, restaurants, cultural and leisure facilities and a health-hub. Alongside
the new leisure centre, the Shed is the first town centre element to be delivered and opened in May 2021 as the nation moved tentatively out of lockdown.
With just 27,000 sqft. of facilities, adjacent to the new town park, square and leisure centre, it has been a remarkable success and represents a trailblazer, signalling future delivery. It offers a unique proposition of contemporary destination against a backdrop of military-heritage. This shared experience is a place for local produce, home-cooked food, artisan treats, arts and crafts, regular markets, creative workspaces and a mix of entertainment/events. A vibrant space where shopping is social and produce is local. It reflects the post-pandemic reality of ‘shop local’ as it champions local businesses and start-ups. With nothing in this location before the Shed, there is now a growing sense-of-place and of a town discovering it’s new heart, bringing existing and new communities together. The marketing campaign has used online, social and local print-media at its core, with an events programme to provide highlights and shared experiences, building engagement and capturing audiences: From a standing-start pre-opening, the audience statistics are impressive in a town of 15,000 people:
- Over 1,100 visitors a day – well-supported not only by people living in
the town but also by visitors from a wider area. - Website:https://theshedwb.com – launched January 2021: From 0 to
19,000 monthly users - Customer database – signed up from the website: from 0 to over 3,800
- Facebook@THESHEDWB: from 0 to 6,976 followers
- Instagram@THESHEDWB: from 0 to 5,670 followers
TESTIMONIAL
“With culture and entertainment at the forefront of the regeneration of the former Prince Philip Barracks, and visible proof in the shape of the Shed along with the wonderful, original, wrapping of the Sandhurst Block by Artist Shiraaz Ali, bold creative declarations are being realised in Whitehill & Bordon. As Director of East Hampshire’s leading cultural organisation, I now have a toolkit of amazing options to achieve my cultural ambitions. Ambitions where community and culture merge and are celebrated by all.”
Rob Allerston – Director of the Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre
