New School Secured for Dowd's Farm

1.38.59pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 11th Jan 2005

Local Lib Dems Welcome Another School to Ease the Burden in the rest of Hedge End

Hedge End is to benefit from a new primary school, public parkland and at least 200 much needed affordable homes.

Landowners have now signed a legal agreement with the Borough Council which has allowed the Council to issue the outline planning permission for up to 765 new homes and an urban recreational park on a 28 hectare site at Dowds Farm, Hedge End. Hampshire County Council is looking to provide the new school and the development will also mean local highway improvements and additional new bus services to Southampton.

Now the Council is expected to receive detailed plans of the proposed house designs, landscaping and road layout in the next few weeks.

Council Leader Keith House commented, "This is really good news for Hedge End. Grange Park will gain a much needed Primary School and affordable homes for local people. It will also provide a large and attractive area of parkland and help give a heart to the Grange Park area. We can now look forward to working up detailed plans with the local community over the coming months."

Development on site by both private developers and a Housing Association is expected to commence before the end of the year.