Sovereign consults locals on future of Saxon Court office

Local people are being invited to have their say on plans for the redevelopment of Sovereign Housing Association’s former office on land at Sarum Hill, Basingstoke.The site at Saxon Court sits at the top of Sarum Hill, between the Sarum Hill public car park and the Wheatsheaf public house.Sovereign aims to demolish the outdated 1970s office building and repurpose it with a residential development.Sovereign says the scale and height of the new building will respect the existing aesthetics of the local area.The mixed-tenure development is set to provide affordable housing in the town centre – comprising 43 one- and two-bedroom apartments for shared ownership and affordable rent.Sovereign says the apartments will be contemporary in design and energy efficient, with plans to install photovoltaic panels across the development.Each apartment will have its own balcony, a cycle space, and parking.Steve Trenwith, Land and Planning director at Sovereign, said: “We believe that everyone should live in a home they love and feel part of their community.“Our plans will transform and modernise what is currently a disused building into 43 much-needed quality homes right in the heart of the town centre.”“Our vision for Saxon Court is to regenerate the site and create a flagship, high quality residential development which helps to address the demand for more affordable housing in Basingstoke.”Sovereign says it is keen to hear from neighbours and the wider community as the design proposals for Saxon Court move forward.A public consultation drop-in event will be held at Saxon Court, Sarum Hill, Basingstoke, on 8 November from 2pm until 7pm.The aim of the drop-in is to allow local residents, businesses, and stakeholders to view the proposals and meet with members of the project team.The consultation closes at 11:59pm on 21 November.Sovereign says feedback from this consultation will help to shape the design proposals.