The future of Bushfield?

Owned by the Church Commissioners, Bushfield Camp lies to the south of Badger Farm. Local residents enjoy the area for many recreational pursuits.

The Commissioners and local stakeholders such as Winchester City Council, Hampshire County Council and Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise Partnership are working together to decide the future of this area. Currently in the initial consultation stages, they are interested in hearing the opinions of local residents and businesses. They welcome anyone interested in the future of Bushfield Camp to  feed their thoughts, concerns and suggestions into the process before any plans are prepared.

To this end, the Commissioners have organised a Public Consultation Meeting. This will be held on Tuesday 13 December, between 2pm and 7pm, at the Middle Brook Centre.

For further details on the meeting, please see the poster below.

Local People Invited to Shape Future of Bushfield Camp

The following information is taken from the Media Release from the Church Commissioners_Community Consultation Event.

“A former military site on the southern edge of the city of Winchester, Bushfield Camp
still carries the vestiges of its past. The derelict ruins include the camp armoury, blast
pens, a firing range and a number of other structures, although the camp has not been
in use for over half a century. The site is allocated for employment land in Winchester
City Council’s Local Plan, with the intention of creating new, high value jobs for
Winchester’s skilled workforce. Now, the Church Commissioners for England who own
the site are keen to involve local residents and businesses in shaping a future that
provides the right mix of development for business need and community enjoyment.

As land owners, the Commissioners have begun undertaking informal, early stage
discussions with local stakeholders and interested parties including Winchester City
Council, Hampshire County Council and the Enterprise M3 Local Enterprise
Partnership. They are keen to familiarise themselves fully with local issues and
opportunities, and have been carrying out technical studies into the ecology,
archaeology, landscape, transport and other aspects of the site to complement these
discussions. Their ambition is to develop a proposal for the site which is sympathetic to
the environment whilst enhancing the employment offer of the Winchester District.

A trio of consultation events have been arranged this autumn so that local residents and
businesses have an early opportunity to feed their thoughts, concerns and suggestions
into the process before any plans are prepared. These include a strategic employment
workshop with key stakeholders, a workshop for local amenity groups and an open
‘drop in’ session at which people can meet the Commissioners and their consultants
Deloitte in person. Anyone can attend the community drop in session which will take
place at the Middle Brook Centre in Middle Brook Street, Winchester, SO23 8DQ, from
2pm to 7pm on Tuesday 13th December 2016.

John Weir, Head of Strategic Land Investment for the Church Commissioners, said:

‘It is exciting to be considering a new lease of life for the Commissioners’
employment site at Bushfield, to realise its potential after it has lain dormant for
so many years. No plans have been prepared, and at this stage the focus is on
consultation and engagement. There is always concern about new development
in any community and we are committed to working collaboratively with local
groups and with businesses to ensure the right outcomes for Winchester.’

Cllr Rob Humby, Winchester City Council’s Cabinet Member for Business Partnerships,
added:

‘With numerous studies now showing that Winchester lacks the right kind of
workspace for modern business, Bushfield Camp presents a golden opportunity
to attract new and interesting jobs to our city in line with our economic strategy.
However, in addition to around 20 hectares of employment land it has the added
advantage of offering 23 hectares of open space for public enjoyment. It should
be a ‘win win’ for everyone in Winchester.'”