The alternative to building on Gurkha Square.



So what will happen if you vote NO!

There are a number of options being speculated on, but we feel that the majority are unworkable.

1. Refurbishment of the existing building.
If this were to happen FTC would be required to be given the freehold of the property before investing considerable sums required. It would be unthinkable to spend millions of pounds for HDC to demand the land back for redevelopment later.  As granting of the freehold would block all development plans of the Council Quarter then this is very unlikely to ever be gifted.
In the meantime up to 70 groups would lose their home for two years and considerable revenue losses would be made.

2. Steve Forster speaks of HDC and FTC working together on a development of the whole area.  Firstly Steve Forster’s party are not in power having lost two seats in Fleet.
Secondly the numbers do not stack up. Figures mentioned as a gain from Sainsburys redeveloping the land in recent years was £7 – 9m. From this the council offices would need to be rebuilt at a cost of £4m. Car parks would need investment and money would need to go on other infrastructure.  So in simple terms there would be very little left to rebuild the Harlington.  But HDC would get some nice offices.

3. The Rural Hart Association (RHA) commissioned a study from Lambert Smith Hampton (LSH), The Lambert Smith Hampton report identifies eight sites in Fleet Town centre which between them could provide 990 homes in mixed-use developments, and LSH is confident that these sites would attract developer investment.

10 The Library and the Harlington
3 Victoria Road Car Park
1 Church Road Car Park
7 and 11  Admiral and Flagship house at the end of Harlington Way
4 Dominos Pizza Corner.
6  Site of the new planned hotel.
9 Hester Garage
2 Hart Shopping Centre
8 Lismoyne Hotel
5 Derelict office space.

The fact that Tim Smart who is campaigning to Save Gurkha Square is on RHA and wants to build on top of 1000 spaces and or add upwards of three stories of building on top of them, is complaining about the loss of 20 to 30 spaces is a very questionable stance.
This plan is strongly supported by the rural councillors who do not wish to see development in Winchfield.
(This article is quite tricky to find now... But here is is http://wehearthart.co.uk/category/brownfield-sites/)
The planning gain that such development would give would not even be sufficient to build a new school or doctor’s surgery, let alone both and certainly not fund a new community facility. The land sale may create a cash cow for the council, but with the loss of long-term benefit for all, and massive short and medium term disruption.

So if you think the plan to build The Harlington on Gurkha Square in Fleet is a bad idea, wait till you see what is waiting round the corner.