Plans go in for £50m Welborne village centre

Plans have been submitted for a £50m village centre development for the new Welborne Garden Village in Hampshire.

Buckland Development - part of Buckland Group - has designed the village centre with a detailed planning application now submitted to Fareham Borough Council,

Construction is expected to be started later in 2024 and completion targeted for the spring of 2027.

The Welborne village centre, includes provision for a primary school, nursery, GP surgery and pharmacy – within a sustainable and energy-efficient design. 

Inspired by Hampshire market towns such as Alresford, Wickham and Stockbridge, Welborne village centre will include new homes, from one and two-bedroom apartments up to four-bedroom houses.

Other commercial spaces include a traditional pub/hotel, retail - including space for a butcher, bakery, café, restaurant - and a community hall.

Local businesses contributed to the design and planning phase, and favourable lease terms are to be offered to enable local companies to establish themselves in the village.

The project will be developed over a 30-month construction period, with anticipated completion in the spring of 2027. 

John Beresford, managing director of Buckland Development, said: “In the design of the village centre, we've thoughtfully merged Hampshire's heritage with the principles of sustainability. 

“Our goal is to create a village centre that becomes the perfect image of what we’d all like to call home. 

“A place that is warm, functional, friendly, and full of shops and places to socialise. 

“This place is about more than just homes – it’s a foundation for local business and a welcoming space for all, starting with our very first residents at Welborne. We're creating economic, environmental and social value which will last for generations.”

Councillor Seán Woodward, Fareham Borough Council executive leader, added: "The development of Welborne village centre – the first new village centre in Fareham for 40 years – is a landmark moment for the borough.  

“It will bring a wave of benefits, not only for the future residents of Welborne but also for our wider community.” 

Initial preparatory work is already underway on the site, with the first homes expected to be delivered in late 2024.