Bishops Green, Hampshire

Bishops Green is a rural village located approximately 4 miles to the south east of Newbury, Berkshire and 14 miles North West of Basingstoke, Hampshire. Despite having a Newbury post code and Newbury telephone code, the village lies just within the border of Hampshire in the Borough of Basingstoke & Deane.

The village is dominated by two housing estates which were originally constructed to accommodate service personnel employed at the nearby former Greenham Common Airbase. The two estates are separated by a 6ft chain link fence. The Eagle Road Estate is predominantly owned by Sovereign Housing Association and the Ashlands Estate is owned predominately by Sentinel Housing Association. The housing was occupied for only relatively short periods of time by service personnel and their families. The needs

of "transitional" residents were provided by the substantial facilities at the nearby military airbase and as such there is no Post Office, Public House, or Health Provision in Bishops Green. Public transport is considered by residents to be a 'poor and infrequent' service.

Deprivation
It was shown in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) in 2000 that Bishops Green fell within the most deprived rural ward within the Borough of Basingstoke & Deane, and fifth most deprived of all wards within the Borough. Bishops Green lies within the Parish of Ecchinswell, Sydmonton and Bishops Green, which in turn lies within the Burghclere Ward.    Burghclere Ward is the only rural ward to feature more than once in the 25% most deprived areas in the IMD. Additionally, the Parish of Ecchinswell,  Sydmonton and Bishops Green has one of the highest proportions of Council Tax Benefit recipients. Bishops Green is thus considered to lie within the most deprived rural area in the Borough.

High Concentration of children and young people
Demographic statistics reveal a high concentration of children and young people with almost half the population (47%) under 24 years old and 36% under 16 years old.

 

Regeneration
Sentinel Housing Association have begun the phased demolition and rebuilding of the estate. 
A scheme of 66 rented units, 14 home-buy and 68 private units for sale, will be built following the demolition of the 95 existing properties. 
Phase one of the scheme was completed May 2008, phase two is due for completion in Spring 2009 and phase three is due for completion in Spring 2010.