CONFIRMATION of a new supermarket in the town can be expected in December, said project lead of the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company, James Child.

The announcement came as part of a Q&A session between Mr Child and Whitehill Town Council leader Andy Tree, who put forward questions from residents.

Mr Child said after the supermarket provider was chosen – there are three contenders in the running – a planning application would be submitted to East Hampshire District Council, with hopes to open a store in late 2022, measuring “23,000 to 25,000 square feet in size”.

Another concern raised by Cllr Tree was on health provision for the town, with the local NHS Clinical Commissioning Group “committed to keeping the Chase Hospital open until such time as a Health Hub is built”.

Mr Child said the regeneration company was working alongside doctors and Southern Health to “design a Health Hub that offers the services that the town needs for a growing population”.

He said that the company was also talking to dentists and other health service providers with the aim of including them in the Health Hub, so “people can come to one location at the heart of the town centre”.

But Mr Child said the company “could not do anything without NHS agreement”.

Cllr Tree also asked Mr Child to assure residents the regeneration company would “complete the town centre and the promises made before considering an additional 1,300 houses”, after East Hampshire District Council confirmed more houses were planned for Whitehill & Bordon.

Mr Child said while the town was being promoted as one that could support additional homes, the “social infrastructure and shops” would come first before more houses.

But he added he believed the town “has brownfield land to support the growth”.

Of the future, Mr Child said: “We have a very long-term view – we are a developer that’s going to be around for at least 25 years.

“This is because we are committed to not just building, trading and selling, but we are about owning and running what we have built.

“We feel we are as much apart of this town as everyone else who lives and works here.”

To watch the Q&A session, see https://youtu.be/njsj6_VUZjg

For more questions, see https://tinyurl.com/yyd7lxzc