Alton Town Council’s newest open space, Alton Gateway, has officially opened, inviting visitors to enjoy its beautifully designed paths, benches and flower beds. This thoughtfully landscaped space offers a peaceful environment where literature and nature come together, with a specially curated flower border engraved with a quote from Jane Austen’s writings. Wildflower and grass areas compliment a neatly laid lawn. Alton Gateway provides a perfect setting for quiet reflection and leisurely strolls and a welcoming entrance to the town.
This site is the final piece of a comprehensive proposal that included the Borovere Farm site (Selborne Park) to the east of this garden, the reconfiguration of the highways with two roundabouts and the new railway bridge, the Lord Mayor Treloar site (Ackender Hill) and a £5m contribution to the new (now opened) Sports Centre.
Martin Hawthorne, Planning Director of Highwood Group, the award-winning developer behind the Alton Gateway scheme, said “I have worked closely with Alton Town Council throughout this process, and you have always been willing to talk and engage with me. That in itself sets you apart from a number of Councils. But furthermore the staff and Councillors at ATC had the vision to look at the bigger picture. I believe the combined development is a really good quality development which has brought a lot to Alton. It has solved the double non-functioning roundabouts, the too narrow railway bridge, created two new public parks, enabled a fantastic new leisure centre, provided much needed affordable housing, care home, retirement flats and general needs housing. The new bridge (which is attractive in itself) opens up a great view of The Butts when you enter Alton and created significant investment into the local economy.”
Councillor Annette Eyre, Mayor of Alton, added “Alton Town Council is thrilled to have been handed this open space for the enjoyment of the residents of Alton. It has been a pleasure to work with Highwood throughout the progress of this scheme. We are delighted that Highwood agreed to the request of local historian Jane Hurst to preserve the site of a 29mm spigot mortar anti-tank weapon which was issued to the Home Guard in late-1941 to mid-1942, alongside the tank traps by the Butts bridge.”
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Left to Right: Cllr Janice Treacher, Cllr Graham Hill (EHDC Chairman),
Martin Hawthorn (Highwood Group), Cllr Annette Eyre (Town Mayor of Alton) and
Cllr Peter Wadman
Left to Right: Luke Millard, Martin Hawthorn (Highwood Group), Cllr Graham Hill (EHDC Chairman), Cllr Annette Eyre (Town Mayor of Alton), Andrew White (Highwood Group),
Cllr Peter Wadman and Cllr Janice Treacher
Site of the 29mm spigot mortar.
Left to Right: Cllr Janice Treacher, Cllr Graham Hill (EHDC Chairman),
Martin Hawthorn (Highwood Group), Cllr Peter Wadman, Luke Millard and Cllr Annette Eyre (Town Mayor of Alton)
The spigot mortar and anti tank weapon used during World War 2
Photo of supplied by Luke Millard.