Hill JV wins major town centre regeneration approval

A joint venture between housebuilder Hill and Rushmoor council has won outline approval for a town centre regeneration plan including proposals for nearly 1,000 homes in Farnborough.

The Civic Quarter Masterplan scheme for the Hampshire town will include 960 homes, a leisure and civic centre, a hotel, shops, a library and nearly two acres of green space.

The Rushmoor Development Partnership (RDP) said the homes will be heated by air source heat pumps rather than traditional gas boilers, and incorporate green roofs and PV panels to improve biodiversity and reduce energy consumption. Biodiversity will be increased throughout the development by planting verges, grasslands and new trees.

The joint venture said the masterplan had been designed to make Farnborough a vibrant, sustainable and desirable place to live. Work will now start on detailed plans for individual plots, with the first applications to be submitted this year, ahead of construction starting on site in 2024.

Andy Hill, group chief executive of the Hill Group, said the approval was a “significant milestone” for the project. “Our plans for Farnborough’s town centre will provide much needed, sustainable new homes and fantastic amenities that will be enjoyed by the residents of Farnborough now and in the future.

“The RDP is committed to delivering a legacy of high-quality, sustainable development that will benefit the community for generations to come.”

Councillor Martin Tennant, Rushmoor Borough Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for major projects and property, said he was “thrilled” with the approval, which would “help to create a thriving, sustainable community” when built out.