Construction work has commenced on a 6,000 home development in Hampshire.

Two Secretaries of State attended a ground breaking ceremony on the site.

Michael Gove and Suella Braverman were both present to mark the beginning of the Welborne development. When complete, the development will include 6,000 homes, several schools, a town centre and a Science and Technology park.

Welborne has been designed by architect Ben Pentreath and landscape architect Kim Wilkie, with inspiration taken from the Garden Village movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century.

Construction of the first phase will be undertaken by three regional building firms - CG Fry, Pye Homes and Thakeham Homes through individual joint ventures with Buckland group, the Master Developer and owner of the 1,000-acre site.

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The development has been part funded by a £41.25 million grant from the government's housing investment fund. This grant will be used on the upgrade of Junction 10 of the M27. Residents are expected to begin moving into the area in 2024.

Speaking at the ground breaking event, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP said: "Protecting our beautiful landscapes in cherished places like Welborne is vital, while we seek to deliver the high quality homes and infrastructure that local communities need. I was delighted to see first-hand this ground-breaking vision for a modern garden village where local communities can input into the surroundings of the area they call home.

"As part of our commitment to build 300,000 homes every year, we want developers right across the country to embrace projects like Welborne so local people can reap the benefits of beautiful homes and greener neighbourhoods as we continue to deliver on our housebuilding targets."

Reflecting on their involvement, Mark Thistlethwayte, Chairman of Buckland Group, said: "After more than seventeen years of hard work behind the scenes, it's a pleasure to see that our vision for Welborne is finally taking shape. It is great to have the support of the SoS, Homes England, HCC and FBC as we progress with this, one of the biggest privately funded community developments in the UK. At Welborne we are seeking to create a place that people will be happy to call home now, and in one hundred years' time."