Latest Updates
Find out what’s happening on site at Welborne
19th April 2024 - Knowle Road Works
23rd - 3rd May: We will be undertaking works to link the foul sewer under Knowle Road in preparation for the new roundabout. One lane on Knowle Road will be closed with traffic lights throughout the works period.
7th - 13th May: Work to create a section of drop kerb will be undertaken during this time. Most works will be undertaken “off line” and away from the road. However, in order to keep workers safe during fitting of the kerbstone and final finishing there will need to be 2 days of single carriage way closure (north side only) with traffic lights.
28th May: Work will begin on the creation of the new roundabout. More details on timescales and traffic management plans will be issued to all Knowle residents in early May alongside updates on this website.
12th April 2024 - Knowle Road - Survey Work
Survey work will be underway along Knowle Road on the 18th April. This will require a rolling localised lane closure during the hours of 09:30am to 3:30pm only.
27th March 2024 - Advance notice of re-surfacing works on A32
We are now able to provide an update to our post of 13th March. Following liaison with Hampshire County Council, we can now confirm that the A32 resurfacing works will take place on the 13th-14th April and the 4th - 5th May. This work will provide the final finishing layer to the road and pavement and will be undertaken under overnight closures during these dates. There will be further works to install new street lighting - currently this is expected to take place in May but we will provide further updates as the details are confirmed.
13th March 2024 - A32 road works at Boundary Oak School - Update
Our scheduled overnight closure of the road has reduced to one night. The road will now be closed only on Thursday night this week (14th March). All the traffic management works will be removed by close of play on Friday (15th March) as planned. The recent weather conditions have hindered our ability to lay the final finishes on the road. These finishing surface works will be undertaken around mid-April and lighting columns installed in May. Specific dates will be confirmed following confirmation by Hampshire County Council and Scottish and Southern Electric work programme. Part of these final works will require 4 nights of overnight road closure and some traffic management for a limited time period.
13th March 2024 - Knowle Road works - Update from BT Openreach
We have recently received an update on the current fibre diversion being undertaken by BT Openreach on the Knowle Road. Whilst they had planned to undertake the fibre changeover out of hours, they now do not have the resource to do so. They have no other dates in March where they can complete the works in the evenings. As a result they are now looking to complete the works on Sunday 17th March during the day. Works will be completed during the hours of 8am and 5pm - initially all circuits will be out of service but should gradually come back over the day.
12th March 2024 - Latest information received from Portsmouth Water
‘‘We have faced severe weather since work began on Knowle Road, and ground conditions have been challenging to say the least. The 355mm pipe for the mains diversion will be laid and ready for testing and chlorination by Friday 15/03. The footpath will remain closed while testing is conducted, and we await results. We will then return to site to connect up the new main, backfill and reinstate the footpaths and remove the temporary footpath and make good the area and reopen the footpath.
The road crossing for the NAV supply has also been installed, however, as the weather and ground conditions continue to be a challenge, and we require 2-way lights for a safety zone while we work site side, we will cease work on this section by Friday 15/03/2024. We will advise a date when we plan to return to complete this, and a separate email will follow in due course. This means that there will be a delay before a SOW is available for the NAV site mains. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause.’’
February 2024 - Portsmouth Water works on Knowle Road
As part of the utility diversion works underway by the utility companies, we have been informed by Portsmouth Water that they will not be setting up their traffic lights on the Knowle Road this Friday (1st March). Instead, they have arranged for them to go up on Monday 4th March to avoid the lights being in action over the weekend, when there will no works underway, and to minimise the inconvenience to local residents.
February 2024 - Important update on existing A32 highway works
Owing to encountering unforeseen ground conditions, our original programme of works has had to be reviewed. Revised dates are as follows:
There will be no overnight road closure planned for 26th February for four nights
Overnight closure of both lanes for four nights (8pm-6am) starting 11th March 2024 for re-surfacing
Day time works with traffic lights to extend to 15th March 2024
As noted in our previous update, the re-surfacing works requires particular weather conditions and so, in the event of unsuitable weather, we will work to identify alternative dates.
We are working very hard to mitigate the impact and limit this unavoidable extension of works as far as reasonably possible. We understand the inconvenience caused by these essential works and thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation.
During any overnight A32 road closures, alternative routes will be signed but access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times. Diversion routes are available here, so you can plan your journey. Knowle Road roundabout on the A32 will remain open. Pedestrian access will continue to be maintained at all times via a diversion of the existing pathway around the construction works.
Any such delays or significant changes to the programme will continue to be communicated via signage and on our Welborne website.
If you have any questions or comments about the scheme, please feel free to contact us using the details welborne@bucklanddevelopment.com
February 2024 - Works on Knowle Road - UPDATE
8th February - BT and their contractors have confirmed that traffic lights will now not be needed on Knowle Road next week (13th - 15th Feb). All cabling and diversion works will take place the following week (19th – 23rd Feb) when traffic lights will be needed.
Works to the fibre network will be carried out over night on March 1st. Internet outage for an estimated 2 – 3 hours during this time is unfortunately unavoidable. BT have scheduled the works overnight in order to minimise disruption to local residents as much as possible. We will keep you updated on any changes.
The point of contact for any enquiries relating to these works is Ian Pearce, BT Open Reach, Mob : 079186 82033 email: ian.s.pearce@openreach.co.uk
January 2024 – Green maintenance on A32 Knowle Roundabout
We are proud to sponsor the Knowle Roundabout on the A32. We are also looking after the grassed areas on the roundabout and surrounding verges. We have appointed a local landscape company who will soon be starting work to improve the visual appearance of the grassed areas on and around the roundabout.
The team will be removing weeds and scarify the grass before adding a top dressing and then seeding with high quality grass seed. The weeding and scarifying are important preparation stages which, unfortunately, will make the area look untidy for a couple of weeks until the new grass starts to come through. No traffic management will be needed to undertake this green maintenance work.
January 2024 - New Entrance for Boundary Oak School
We have been working on a new entrance road to Boundary Oak School that will create an improved access point. In due course this will replace the current Pook Lane entrance. The internal access road to the school has already been built and now needs to be connected to the A32. The works will provide a new ‘Left In-Left Out’ access to the school and include road widening at the junction, a new pedestrian crossing point, upgrading the drainage and resurfacing of the carriageway. Highway works on the A32 will be needed to create the new access point for which we have an approved planning permission (reference P/20/0288/FP).
Millgrove Construction Ltd will be carrying out these works on our behalf. Works are programmed to start “off line” (not on the public highway) on the week commencing 8th January 2024 for a period of 2/3 weeks. To enable works within the A32 carriageway, temporary traffic lights will commence on the 19th January 2024 and are targeted to complete on 24th February 2024. Resurfacing the main carriageway will follow and require overnight closure of both lanes for four nights (8pm – 6am) starting 26th February 2024. The surfacing works require particular weather conditions. Consequently, there may be some changes to the planned dates of the night closures.
Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times via a diversion of the existing pathway around the construction works. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times. We recognise this section of the A32 is a busy route and so traffic lights will be attended at peak hours. However, we would advise that you take an alternative route over the period of the works if at all possible. During the night closures, the alternative routes will be signed.
We thank you in advance for your patience and co-operation during these essential works. If you have any questions or comments about the scheme, please feel free to contact us
January 2024 - Works on Knowle Road - UPDATE
In preparation for the start of construction of the new roundabout on Knowle Road in late March, BT and Portsmouth Water will be undertaking utility diversion works in January and February.
BT will start works on the 9th January for 10 days. Their works will require traffic management measures on Knowle Road and closure of the westbound lane (from A32 to Knowle Village). The point of contact for any enquiries relating to these works is Ian Pearce, BT Open Reach, Mob : 079186 82033 email: ian.s.pearce@openreach.co.uk
LATEST 19/01/2024 - BT WORKS HAVE OVERRUN ON THEIR DIVERSION WORKS
Portsmouth Water will start work on 5th February for 2 weeks. Their works will not require any traffic management on Knowle Road. The point of contact for any enquiries relating to these works is Martin Hawker, Portsmouth Water, Senior Contracts Supervisor, Mob: 07748 656 531 email : martin.hawker@portsmoutwater.co.uk
Work on the roundabout construction is expected to start towards the end of March and more details will follow.
December 2023 - Approval of Welborne Design Codes and Street Manual
We are really pleased that the Welborne Design Code and Street Manual have been approved by Fareham Borough Council.
The approval of the Design Code is a great step towards delivering Welborne. The principles embedded within both the Design Code and the Street Manual will make Welborne very different to the new developments we often see being built. Tree lined streets with grassed verges alongside homes designed in the local style with front gardens, will be a distinctive feature. Our Design Codes focus as much on the greenery as they do the built form, which will ensure neighbourhoods are full of character and charm. We’ve received some great feedback on the designs for Welborne and as construction starts in 2024, people will see these principles become reality.
Overview of the codes can be found here
November 2023 - Knowle Road Update:
We are in the process of making road improvements to connect Knowle Road with Welborne, including the construction of an access roundabout. This has required vegetation removal, which strictly adhered to the planning permissions approved by Fareham Borough Council and the requirements of Hampshire County Council, and is in accordance with the licences issued by Natural England – collectively ensuring a balance between development and ecological concerns. This essential work was carefully scheduled to align with the ecological calendar. By Spring 2024, we will have planted over 850 trees and over 1000 shrubs at Welborne, with another 700 specimen trees and 3.7km of hedge planned after that across verges, Welborne Park, Welborne Mile and Dashwood Park, creating a new habitat and accessible green open space. This is just for the first phase and is part of a much wider landscaping strategy which will ensure that more than 50% of Welborne will be green space. Wide green verges will be planted along Knowle Road with cycle and pedestrian paths, providing alternative routes from Knowle to the A32.
To learn more please click on the Fact Sheets
November 2023 - Planting Strategy for the first phase Welborne
When the planting season finishes in Spring 2024, more than 130 semi-mature specimen trees and 750 native transplants will have been planted at Welborne.
60 semi-mature trees will be planted for the first phase of Welborne Park, just to the north of Knowle Road.
38 semi-mature trees will be planted along Dashwood Avenue, the main primary access for residents.
35 semi-mature trees planted around the new pond and boardwalk area in the north west corner.
455 native transplants will be added alongside the western site boundary, to the north of Knowle Road, as a link habitat benefit for Dashwood.
300 native transplants will be added to the north-eastern site corner as a link habitat benefit between Dashwood and Blakes Copse.
Up to December 2023 we have already planted 937 trees and 1931 shrubs near Blakes’ Copse and at Highstead neighbourhood (south of Knowle triangle), 127 trees and 582 shrubs. During the next five growing seasons, another 700 specimen trees and more than 3,700 linear metres of hedge will be planted throughout Welborne. We are enjoying engaging with local landscape businesses and specialist tree nurseries to help deliver our plans.