Winchester City Council has identified an area of land to the north of Whiteley as a suitable location to provide much needed housing. This will be supported by facilities such as schools and community centres to serve both the existing community and the new urban extension.
The site is under the control of the North Whiteley Consortium, which is committed to local engagement in bringing the site forward for development. This website has been set up to provide information on the northern extension to Whiteley and to announce coming events.
The Consortium
A consortium of developers and landowners, including Bovis Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Crest Nicholson, who have considerable experience in delivering largescale housing developments requiring significant infrastructure, is promoting the northern extension.
The site
The area being considered (the study area) is immediately north of Whiteley and is made up of agricultural land, namely Barn Farm, Whiteley Farm, Bury Farm, Ridge Farm and Fairthorne Grange Farm, with some brownfield land at Bury Farm industrial estate.
This study area has varying levels of ecological and landscape interest that need to be respected, including nine Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation and several water courses. The River Hamble, which is a Special Protection Area, is to the north west of the study area. There is extensive woodland to the east of the study area including Botley Wood and Everett’s and Mushes Copses Site of Special Scientific Interest.
Extending Whiteley
The consortium intends to provide high quality new housing complemented by open space, local centres and community facilities, together with cultural, social and physical infrastructure. This is likely to include provision of primary schools and a new secondary school for use by existing and future residents. Close by the Solent Business Parks provide a wide range of employment opportunities.
Not only will a northerly access to Botley Road be provided but the provision of pedestrian and cycle routes will feature strongly to encourage journeys to be
made without using cars.
Protecting sensitive environments and enhancing recreation opportunities will be central to the design of any proposal.
Winchester City Council
Following adoption Winchester City Council’s Core Strategy will set out the spatial strategy for the district’s growth over the next 20 years, including the northern
extension to Whiteley.
A northern extension will enable Whiteley to be more self-sufficient and the provision of missing infrastructure will allow it to function more efficiently and improve the quality of life for new and existing residents.
Stay up to date
There are a number of ways that you can stay up to date on progress with Evolving Whiteley.
The consortium will have regular meetings with the parish councils (Whiteley, Curdridge and Botley) and representatives from Winchester City and Fareham Borough councils. It is hoped that these meetings will assist the consortium in providing updates on progress, communicating with residents, advising of events, seeking input on evolving thinking and establishing appropriate representatives / organisations with whom to consult further.
The North Whiteley Development Forum will discuss Evolving Whiteley at public meetings. Refer to Winchester City Council’s website for more information: www.winchester.gov.uk (Note: This link will open in a new window)
Please also check this website for details of future events. Link to Coming events/activity.
