MAJOR plans to develop a former Basingstoke secondary school site and surrounding area have been made public, and include building up to 240 homes, a children’s play area and health facilities.

Vivid housing association, in collaboration with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, North Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Hampshire County Council, held a public exhibition on the plans for the regeneration of the Winklebury Estate, including the old Fort Hill School site.

The school has been demolished by Hampshire County Council.

The proposals follow a public consultation held with the community in 2018, and focus on a central set of five sites within the area – Fort Hill in Kenilworth Road, the former Newman Bassett Day Care site in Coppice Mews, the existing borough council open space in Carisbrooke Avenue, Winklebury Centre and the former Basingstoke Play Council site in Winklebury Way.

If the plans are approved, between 60 to 80 new homes, a new pre-school facility and children’s play area will be built on the site of the former school.

The former playing field would become a new public open space, the ownership of which would be transferred from Hampshire County Council to Vivid Homes.

The Newman Basset site would be used for five to 10 new homes while the open space would house 15 to 20 new homes.

The proposals state: “It is considered that the loss of this play area and open space, would be appropriately mitigated through the proposed open space strategy on the former school site.”

Winklebury Centre would be used for 110 to 130 new homes, along with 500 metres squared of new retail space.

The former Play Council site would be used to create a new health care facility to “meet the anticipated future needs of the increased local population”.

A public drop-in event was hosted by Vivid last week at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Winklebury, to give people the chance to ask questions and provide feedback on the plans.

The housing association is consulting on the plans until March 31, with details available online.

It will then present updated proposals to the community in May.

Mike Shepherd, director of development at Vivid, said: “We’re really looking forward to working with the community to design the regeneration of Winklebury.”

To view the plans visit https://www.wyg.com/consultations/view/casestudy_id/591.