Bordon

For the footballer, see Marcelo Bordon.

Bordon
Looking over Chalet Hill, centre of Bordon.
Bordon  Bordon shown within Hampshire
OS grid reference	SU796354
Civil parish	Whitehill
District	East Hampshire
Shire county	Hampshire
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BORDON
Postcode district	GU35
Dialling code	01420
Police	Hampshire
Fire	Hampshire
Ambulance	South Central
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	East Hampshire
List of places UK England Hampshire

Longmoor Military Railway crossing road at Bordon, 1963

Bordon is a town in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It lies 5.4 miles (8.7 km) south-east of Alton and forms a part of the civil parish of Whitehill, the adjoining village. Both settlements are on the A325 road and close to the A3 road between London and Portsmouth. Bordon is twinned with Condé-sur-Vire in Normandy, France.

General

Bordon has a variety of shops, including three supermarkets, along with other amenities such as petrol stations. Unlike the neighbouring towns of Petersfield, Farnham and Alton, it is not historically a market town, and its shops are therefore not focussed in a single district. Many of the facilities are situated on or near the A325, a former toll road that connects the A3 to towns between Greatham and Farnham. There are also a range of primary and secondary education facilities, primarily Mill Chase Academy. The town is also the location of Hollywater School, an Special Education establishment. Other local facilities include The Phoenix Theatre, Mill Chase Leisure Centre, and Forest Community Cinema, along with numerous community centres and halls.

History

Historically, the town was an important army base with a railway station, as is nearby Aldershot. Bordon camp was first laid out in 1899 by the Highland Light Infantry, directed by Royal Engineers, and following interruption by the Second Boer War, was occupied by the army from 1903. The first occupants of Quebec barracks were the Somersetshire Light Infantry, returning from South Africa in April, and the 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment arrived at St. Lucia Barracks from South Africa in June. Bordon Camp was home to the Canadian Army during both of the world wars and the town is dotted with concrete slabs on which tanks and armoured cars were parked. Bordon is now home to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, providing trade training; both basic and supplementary, to its soldiers. The Longmoor Army Ranges, a large forest with tracks and firing ranges, is south of the town. Bordon railway station was linked to both the main railway network, and by light railway to the Longmoor Military Railway. The old track bed at Longmoor, especially between Greatham and Whitehill, is open to be used permissively by walkers and cyclists.

Bordon as an Eco-town

In 2009, Bordon was announced as the site of a future Eco-town as part of a scheme put in place by the Labour Party. This, in addition to the Town Council's own 'Green Town Vision', would see the development of Whitehill Bordon as a carbon-neutral town with sustainable housing and business facilities. The existing Green Town Vision aimed to ensure that all new development of the town would by beneficial to the local environment, and the Eco-town scheme would provide the necessary support and funding to allow sustainable regeneration of the area. The proposal initially included provisions for 5000 new homes, along with supporting infrastructure, which would require extensive use of greenfield land, as well as areas reclaimed during the withdrawal of the military presence in the town.

Although the scheme was supported by the local authority, some local residents expressed concerns over the inflation of the town, naming the road and transport network as an area of concern. Other concerns raised include sharp increase in residents, and the lack of infrastructure to facilitate them. After the announcement of the Eco-town plan, a group of residents formed the Bordon Area Action Group, and opposed the scheme. They argued that the development failed sustainability tests, and claimed that consultation was rigged. However, other residents supported the scheme, and consultation is ongoing. After the election of the coalition government in 2010, the future of the Eco-town scheme became unclear. Funding was cut by half, and support from the government was significantly reduced. However, the project continued, and eco-town projects that have already been awarded funding, such as free internet, have been implemented. The Whitehill & Bordon Masterplan was finalized in 2012.

Transport

The nearest railway station is 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east in the town of Liphook, which lies on the Portsmouth Direct Line. Historically, the town had its own station on the Bordon Light Railway, but this was closed in 1966. In 2009, the Association of Train Operating Companies proposed reinstating a rail link with the town, and a feasibility study, concluded in February 2012, was undertaken. The outcome of this study resulted in a proposed link to the existing Alton Line at Bentley, Hampshire, with an estimated cost of £170m.

Both Bordon and Whitehill are situated an the A325, linking them to both the A3, which passes through the parish, and Farnham. The town in served by Stagecoach bus routes. and a Tesco-funded bus service around the town ceased due to lack of investment.

Places of worship

• Sacred Heart Catholic Church, High Street.
• St Mark's Shared Church, Pinehill Road.

External links

• East Hampshire District Council
• Woolmer Forest Heritage Society
• Whitehill Town Council