View source for Bordon

{{Short description|Town in Hampshire, England}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}}
{{infobox UK place
| official_name= Bordon
| civil_parish = [[Whitehill, Hampshire|Whitehill]]
| country = England
| os_grid_reference= SU796354
| coordinates = {{coord|51.11238|-0.86425|display=inline,title}}
| population= 16,035
| population_ref= (2011 census)<ref>{{cite web|title=Office for National Statistics: Bordon Built-up area sub division|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=1119884590|access-date=22 August 2021}}</ref>
| shire_district= [[East Hampshire]]
| shire_county = [[Hampshire]]
| region= South East England
| constituency_westminster= [[Farnham and Bordon (UK Parliament constituency)|Farnham and Bordon]]
| post_town= BORDON
| postcode_district= GU35
| postcode_area=GU
| dial_code= 01420
|static_image_name=Bordon - geograph.org.uk - 206635.jpg
|static_image_caption=Looking over Chalet Hill, centre of Bordon.
}}
'''Bordon''' is a town in the [[East Hampshire]] district of [[Hampshire]], England. It lies in the interior of the [[royal forest|royal]] [[Woolmer Forest]], about {{convert|5|mi}} southeast of [[Alton, Hampshire|Alton]]. The town forms a part of the [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] of [[Whitehill, Hampshire|Whitehill]] which is one of two contiguous villages, the other being [[Lindford, Hampshire|Lindford]]. The civil parish is on the [[A325 road|A325]], and near the [[A3 road|A3]] road between London and [[Portsmouth]], from which it is buffered by the rise of the wooded [[Woolmer Forest|Woolmer]] Ranges. Bordon is twinned with [[Condé-sur-Vire]] in Normandy, France.
Unlike its nearest towns, [[Petersfield]], [[Farnham]] and Alton, Bordon has not been a market town, having developed as a military area. Many of the facilities are near the former A325, a toll road (turnpike) that connected Farnham to the A3 to its south and passed though Bordon and Whitehill; the A325 now by-passes the built-up area. Local facilities include The Phoenix Theatre and Whitehill and Bordon Leisure Centre.
== Education ==
Primary schools in Bordon include Bordon Infant School, Weyford Nursery, Woodlea School and Weyford Primary. Secondary education facilities include [[Oakmoor School]] on Budds Lane and Hollywater School, a [[Special Education]] establishment. Bordon was also home to the Future Skills Centre, a £3.8&nbsp;million construction training centre which was part of the [[Basingstoke College of Technology]] group until 2024.{{cn|date=May 2023}}
In November 2019, Mill Chase Academy closed after 60 years, being replaced by Oakmoor School.<ref>{{cite web |title=School gates set to close after 60 years |url=https://www.farnhamherald.com/article.cfm?id=137616&headline=School%20gates%20set%20to%20close%20after%2060%20years&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2019 |website=Farnham Herald |access-date=19 May 2021}}</ref>
==History==
[[File:Bordon Longmoor Military Railway crossing geograph-3281644-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|right|Longmoor Military Railway crossing road at Bordon, 1963]]
The town has been an army base with a defunct railway station. [[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.<ref>[http://www.woolmerforest.org.uk/garrison/building1.php Woolmer Forest Heritage Society]</ref> 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 home to the [[Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers]] (REME), providing trade training, both basic and supplementary, to its soldiers, supported by the [[Defence_School_of_Electro-Mechanical_Engineering#8_Training_Battalion_REME|School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (SEME)]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/20120828lobordon.pdf|title=Army HIVE information: Bordon|access-date=25 February 2016}}</ref> The [[Longmoor Military Camp|Longmoor Army Ranges]], a forest firing range, 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]].
==Eco-town proposal==
In 2009, the governing [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] administration nationally announced Bordon as one of its tentative [[Eco-towns|Eco-town]]s in consultative, outline plans.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.petersfieldpost.co.uk/bordon-news/Whitehill-and-Bordon-ecotown-bid.5465733.jp |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130506032316/http://www.petersfieldpost.co.uk/bordon-news/Whitehill-and-Bordon-ecotown-bid.5465733.jp |url-status = dead |archive-date = 6 May 2013 |title = Whitehill and Bordon eco-town get the nod |publisher = Petersfield Post |date = 16 July 2009 |work = Bordon Post |access-date = 8 September 2012 }}</ref> This, dovetailed with the Town Council's '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 would provide support and funding felt necessary to regenerate the few low standard homes and streets. The proposal initially earmarked 5000 new homes, along with supporting infrastructure, which would require extensive use of [[greenfield land]] and reallocation of ex-military land following discontinuance of local military bases.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8504050.stm |title = Four 'eco-towns' earmarked for government funds |publisher = BBC |date = 8 February 2010 |work = BBC News |access-date= 8 September 2012 }}</ref>
The scheme was generally supported by the local authority. Local residents objected to the plan's scale and features, citing the road-centric transport network, inevitable net loss of visual amenity, forest, few remaining cultivated fields, scale and diversity of habitats for the remnant Woolmer Forest.  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.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.baaga.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx |title = Government-Council stitch-up for Bordon |publisher = BAAG |date = 16 July 2009 |work = Bordon Area Action Group |access-date = 8 September 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120902210501/http://www.baaga.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date = 2 September 2012 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> Other residents supported the scheme and consultation continued. During the [[Cameron–Clegg coalition|coalition government]] of 2010-15 its likelihood waned. Funding was cut by half,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/7879878/Question-mark-over-Labours-eco-towns-as-Grant-Shapps-cuts-funding-by-50-per-cent.html |title=Question-mark over Labour's eco-towns as Grant Shapps cuts funding by 50 per cent |author=Christopher Hope |date=9 July 2010 |work= The Telegraph |access-date= 8 September 2012 }}</ref> government looked more critically and skeptically into certain aspects.
The raft of project proposals continues and those awarded funding, such as free public-amenity internet, have been implemented.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.whitehillbordon.com/free-wifi/ |title = Free Wi-Fi |publisher = whitehillbordon.com |date = 22 November 2011 |access-date = 8 September 2012 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120312010953/http://www.whitehillbordon.com/free-wifi/ |archive-date = 12 March 2012 |df = dmy-all }}</ref> The Whitehill & Bordon Masterplan was finalised in 2012.<ref>[http://www.whitehillbordon.com/home/the-revised-masterplan/ Official website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518082226/http://www.whitehillbordon.com/home/the-revised-masterplan/ |date=18 May 2015 }}</ref>
==Transport==
===Rail===
The [[Liphook railway station|nearest railway station]] is {{convert|4|mi}} south-east in [[Liphook]], which is on the [[Portsmouth Direct Line]]. The town had [[Bordon railway station|its own station]] on the [[Bordon Light Railway]], which was closed in 1966. In 2009, the [[Association of Train Operating Companies]] proposed reinstating a rail link with the town,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8099912.stm|title=Operators call for new rail lines|date= 15 June 2009 |work=BBC News |access-date= 8 September 2012}}</ref> and a feasibility study, concluded in February 2012, was undertaken. The outcome was a plausible link to the existing [[Alton Line]] at [[Bentley, Hampshire]], with an estimated cost of £170m.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www3.hants.gov.uk/passengertransport/bordon_eco_town.htm|title=Whitehill Bordon Eco-town's proposed rail link|date=14 February 2012|work=Hantsweb|publisher=Hampshire County Council|access-date=8 September 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918000134/http://www3.hants.gov.uk/passengertransport/bordon_eco_town.htm|archive-date=18 September 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
===Road===
Bordon and Whitehill are by-passed by the A325, which links them to the A3 (which passes through the parish) and to Farnham.<ref name="OS">Ordnance Survey</ref> The town is served by [[Stagecoach South]] bus routes to [[Aldershot]], [[Liphook]], [[Haslemere]], [[Alton, Hampshire|Alton]] and [[Basingstoke]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/liphookbordonbus.aspx |title=Liphook to Bordon bus withdrawal |publisher=South West Trains |access-date= 8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091126051454/http://www.southwesttrains.co.uk/liphookbordonbus.aspx |archive-date=26 November 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whitehillbordon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/WB-Bus-Proposals-Final-Draft_HF000001915084.pdf |title=Whitehill Bordon Early Win Bus Service Options |publisher=Hampshire County Council |work=Whitehill Bordon eco-town |access-date=8 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304121315/http://www.whitehillbordon.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/WB-Bus-Proposals-Final-Draft_HF000001915084.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
==Media==
Local news and television programmes are provided by [[BBC South]] and [[ITV Meridian]]. Television signals are received from either the [[Midhurst transmitting station|Midhurst]] or [[Hannington transmitting station|Hannington]] TV transmitters. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Midhurst|title=Full Freeview on the Midhurst (West Sussex, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web|url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Hannington|title=Full Freeview on the Hannington (Hampshire, England) transmitter|date=1 May 2004|website=UK Free TV|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref>
Local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Surrey]], [[Eagle Radio|Greatest Hits Radio Surrey & East Hampshire]], and Wey Valley Radio, a community based station which broadcasts from [[Alton, Hampshire|Alton]]. <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://weyvalleyradio.uk/ |title=Wey Valley Radio |access-date=25 November 2023}}</ref>
The town is served by the local newspapers, Bordon Herald and Petersfield Post. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-se/bordon-herald/|title=Bordon Herald|date=11 December 2013|website=British Papers|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britishpapers.co.uk/england-se/petersfield-post/|title=Petersfield Post|date=16 February 2014|website=British Papers|accessdate=25 November 2023}}</ref>
==Places of worship==
* Sacred Heart [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] Church, High Street.
* St Mark's Shared Church, Pinehill Road.
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ East Hampshire District Council]
* [http://www.woolmerforest.org.uk/ Woolmer Forest Heritage Society]
* [http://www.whitehilltowncouncil.gov.uk/ Whitehill Town Council]
{{Hampshire}}
{{EastHampshire}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:Towns in Hampshire]]
[[Category:Eco-towns]]