New £308m eco-village in Hampshire dubbed ‘Hellborne’ approved despite fury from neighbours

The Welborne development has been in talks for 17 years to create thousands of 'beautiful homes'
The Welborne development has been in talks for 17 years to create thousands of ‘beautiful homes’

Plans to build a 6,000-home eco-village dubbed ‘Hellborne’ have been approved despite backlash from neighbours.

Some of the UK’s most eco-friendly homes will be built on 1,000 acres of open land in Hampshire as part of the £308 million “Welborne Garden Village”.

But the project has led to dismay from neighbours, who have accused developers of creating a “concrete jungle” and “destroying” the green space on a stretch of land between Fareham and Knowle.

Funding had been secured to build 1,160 homes, but Fareham borough council has now declared it is “all systems go” as it has secured funding to build 6,000.

The Welborne development – which is described as an “English garden village”, but will essentially create a new town between Southampton and Portsmouth – has been in talks for more than 17 years and promises to create thousands of “beautiful homes”.

Thirty acres of trees and hedges lining the main road will be removed in order to build houses
Thirty acres of trees and hedges lining the main road will be removed in order to build houses - Simon Czapp/Solent News & Photo Agency

The multi-million pound scheme is headed by Mark Thistlethwayte, a landowner who is chairman of Buckland Development.

Mr Thistlethwayte’s vision is reportedly focused on “thoughtful landscaping” in the hope it will “build a new town that will look as good in 50 or 100 years’ time as it does the day it is first built”.

But residents in Knowle and Wickham have expressed concern over the potential impact on trees and greenery in the local area, as well as the strain it could put on their local GP surgery.

Thirty acres of trees and hedges lining the main road will be removed so houses can be built on the edge of it, they claimed.

Cllr Simon Martin, leader of Fareham borough council, says the Welborne development is 'terrific news for the borough'
Cllr Simon Martin, leader of Fareham borough council, says the Welborne development is ‘terrific news for the borough’

Announcing the plans, Fareham borough council said: “Fareham borough council is delighted to confirm that it’s ‘all systems go’ for Welborne Garden Village, following confirmation that funding to deliver critical infrastructure is now in place.

“The recent announcement confirming the M27 Junction 10 improvements means all 6,000 new homes at Welborne can be built.”

Cllr Simon Martin, leader of Fareham borough council, said it was “terrific news for the borough”.

“Fareham borough council is set housing targets by the Government, so it is really important for us to deliver the number of homes set out in the council’s Local Plans,” he said.

“Without the motorway improvements, Welborne would only be able to bring forward 1,160 new homes and the council would need to find space for the additional 4,840 homes elsewhere in the borough.”

Locals have previously voiced concerns about the development, as they said the mile-long picturesque Knowle Road which leads into the village, a “green corridor”, had been destroyed.

Cllr Loraine Rappe says the 'particular annoyance' of Welborne development is the 'destruction of all the shrubs and trees'
Cllr Loraine Rappe says the ‘particular annoyance’ of Welborne development is the ‘destruction of all the shrubs and trees’ - Simon Czpp/Solent News & Photo Agency

In January, Cllr Loraine Rappe, who chairs the Knowle Residents’ Association, said it was a “shame” that they had destroyed green space.

“The particular annoyance is the destruction of all the shrubs and trees,” she said.

“People have been referring to the whole development as Hellborne.”

Kayleigh Rooke, a business support administrator, set up a petition to “Save Knowle Road Trees and Hedgerows” which have been impacted in the “first phase” of the Welborne development.

Rooke said it was “infuriating” for residents who felt as if they were being ignored by developers when campaigning against the destruction of green space.

Ms Rooke took issue with the “complete and utter disregard for how the residents feel” and said the developers have taken the “character” of Knowle Village, claiming it would turn the area into a “concrete jungle”.

The first Welborne homes are expected to be delivered by the end of this year
The first Welborne homes are expected to be delivered by the end of this year - Simon Czapp/Solent News & Photo Agency

Meanwhile, Wickham Surgery has expressed concern over the “untenable” and “worrying situation” as they prepare to take on Welborne residents as GP patients.

In a statement, the surgery urged the Hampshire and Isle of Wight integrated care board to expand the NHS boundary to prevent “further endangering” the practise viability – which has been made vulnerable by the risk of a “significant patient population”.

The first Welborne homes are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.