Key document for management of Welborne Garden Village is given the green light

Councillors on Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee have approved the new estate management strategy for residents at Welborne Garden Village. They called it “the gold standard” for how maintenance agreements can be laid out.

Outline planning permission for 6,000 new homes was granted by the council in 2021 to master builders Buckland Developers granting permission in principle for the housing – with the the first homes already completed. When finished, it will be the equivalent to the size of Petersfield.

Setting up the Welborne Garden Village Trust Limited (WGVT) is part of the original planning approval agreement that will oversee managing and maintaining the common spaces, open spaces, and ensuring design codes and covenants are upheld at Welborne.

Councillor Paul Whittle’s (Con, Portchester Wicor) concern was the principle of protecting residents of Welborne from expensive maintenance costs in the future if a group take charge and escalates costs.

Crispin Payne, in charge of the Welborne estate management strategy said: “The trust is a not-for-profit organisation. All residents are members of the trust. There is no motivation for the trust to be taken over by a group of residents to escalate costs.

“Southwick estates who put up the land in the first place and neighbour the development has a “golden voice”.

“If the design codes which includes the building and estate management are not being adhered to, it has a final voice. It has been around for 500 years; it is next door and want to be good neighbours.

“The ultimate intention is they are here for the next 500 years and have that independent oversight. Whatever changes happen to the local authorities and residents’ population they are there to make sure things stay as intended. They are the ultimate stewardship.”

Cllr Whittle said: “It is reassuring to hear from Mr Payne that there will be good governance and management to secure a safe legacy in 50 years’ time. There’s only so much that can be written into the small print, but I think the structure will protect us.”

Councillor Kirsten Wiltshire (Lib Dem, Fareham Town) said: “This is the gold standard. It is really, really impressive and I wish they were all done like this.”

Council officers said The Garden Village Trust is the first port of call for residents wanting to alter their homes. If planning permission was needed, it would go through the planning application process.

The officers report said the Estate Management Strategy (EMS) consists of three elements:

(a) a strategy for the management and maintenance of the Welborne Estate including the suitable alternative natural greenspaces (SANGS) management plan: the land, and unadopted roads

(b) how the management and maintenance of the Welborne Estate will be paid for and carried out throughout the lifetime of the development

and (c) how parts of the Welborne Estate will be operated and managed by the Estate Management Company during the initial period and up to the grant of a long lease or completion of a freehold transfer to the Estate Management Company.

The committee unanimously approved the Welborne Estate Management Strategy for the Welborne Garden Village Trust.