A 20 year plan for investing in Basingstoke’s success

The economic master plan for Basingstoke 2033 sets out an ambitious vision for the next 20 years to ensure a thriving future for all those who live and work in the borough.

The master plan lays out all the major proposals for the future, acting a ‘shopping list’ of the key improvements that are needed to attract external investment, such as transport improvements and new business developments.

It will be used by the council to attract funding to the area from the government and the local enterprise partnership Enterprise M3, and to encourage companies to bring new jobs to the borough. At a more local level it will be used for joint planning of investment needs with Hampshire County Council and other partners, such as housing associations.

Developed in collaboration with other public service bodies, such as the county council, colleges, the hospital and the police and other organisations and businesses, the master plan aims to be a plan for ‘Basingstoke’ rather than for the council.

Potential major projects in the plan

The plan outlines a number of potential major projects that would benefit the economic growth of the town and would need funding.

• Area wide infrastructure improvements to support the economic development of Basingstoke would be associated with the Manydown housing development, funded by a mixture of government and developer funding. These could include a new secondary school for Basingstoke and a new country park.
• Superfast broadband development is needed for commercial areas, especially for Chineham Park and Basing View.
• There are a number of potential regeneration sites within the Top of the Town area that are likely to need some public sector funding to deliver development that fits with current business and residential uses and turns the area into more of a destination of choice to complement Festival Place and The Malls.
• The regeneration of the Leisure Park gives the opportunity to develop new uses and attract new investment, with land available at the eastern end of the park and possible through more efficient layout of the car parks.

Enterprise M3 draft strategic economic plan

EM3 invests in transport, innovation, skills and enterprise, and its Strategic Economic Plan and emerging Local Industrial Strategy set out its vision for the future economy and plans to boost the productivity, prosperity and quality of life for the people and businesses who live and work in our region.

Hotel investment

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has commissioned Hotel Solutions to carry out a hotel futures study aimed at assessing the potential for hotel development and investment in the area.

A full report is available to view below.