2026 The Year Ahead
Following on from his review of 2025, Chair of the Parish Council – Cllr Chris Cooper – looks forward to the year ahead.
Welcome to 2026. Also, a welcome to our new starter Luke who has joined the grounds team at the beginning of January.
Botley Parish Council has a busy year ahead. With a new community event hosted on the Boorley Green Playing Fields on Sunday June 7th being the top highlight.
Along with absorbing new assets, new team members (1 new starter – Nick who will TUPE transfer to BPC with the Boorley Green Playing Fields) and some new technology in the field (our new chipper) and embedding new digital tools and ways of working. Plus, planting more trees (2000 due in February – keep your eyes peeled for details of some community tree planting events) and pressing ahead with improving our existing asset base too.
Firstly, we start the year with a trial of keeping the High Street illuminations on until February. The team will be assessing the cost and the feedback to determine whether this year’s experiment was worth it and we would love your feedback!
Testing Resilience
During the first quarter of the year, a desktop exercise testing the Parish Resilience Plan is to be held. This is an important test to confirm that in the event of an emergency the Parish Resilience plan is viable and works as designed. The plan is intended to support and plug into the existing Eastleigh district resilience plan. It provides structure on how decisions are made and details the local resources we have to hand that could help Botley in the event of an emergency.
Annual Parish Assembly
The annual parish assembly is on 14th April at Boorley Green Community Centre. This year the focus is on celebrating the best of Botley and helping make those connections between different groups supporting our community.
Ongoing Campaigns
The Parish Council will continue to campaign for improved water quality on the River Hamble – building on the 2025 success. The new Environment Working Group has some exciting proposals to work through and to bring to council for future deliberation.
Other small projects include the final transfer of the old botley.com material and the demise of that url (for now). A resubmitted Neighbourhood Plan, plus some new screens are due to be installed in the parish’s community buildings. The new screens will enable local hirers, groups and businesses to advertise alongside, allowing the parish to inform residents of local goings on. All of the kitchens across the Botley Centre and DJ Hall will be replaced / updated in 2026 and the play area on High Street Rec will be renewed – have you completed the feedback form as to what you would like to see on it here.
Growing Responsibilities
During the first quarter of the year the first two tranches of assets will be handed to Botley Parish Council. Tranche 1 is the Boorley Green Community Centre, Playing Fields and Pavilion. This is due to complete by the end of January. Tranche 2 is Mortimer Road Car Park and multiple green areas throughout the parish (from Four Acre to Havendale to Holmesland to Boorley Park). Tranche 2 transfer is due to complete by the end of March.
The high-level plan from a Botley Parish perspective is to firstly understand the assets to be under our control. Initially we will inherit the Eastleigh Borough Council maintenance regime. Then based on this experience look to improve the service delivered whilst keeping our cost base versus service delivered under tight review.
Future tranches (3 onwards) are for plots of land that are still being surveyed (e.g. the Boorley Green assets in Boorley Park and Ford Lake SINC) or those that failed to meet the tranche 2 deadline. An ambition is to take on the Public Rights of Way from the new unitary authority. But that conversation and any subsequent decision can only start when the new unitary is established (from 2027).
Events Planned
The Parish Council has three events planned for 2026
- Vintage Fair on the Boorley Green Playing Fields and Pavilion Car Park on Sunday 7th June. Running from 1pm to 6pm. With vintage fire engines, market stalls, vintage fair and rides.
- Carols in the Square – this year co-hosted with the Christmas Light Switch on (date tbc – target is the end of November)
- Carols at Boorley Green
Whilst supporting externally run events in the parish:
- Botley Mills Summer Fair on July 4th
- Dolphin Summer Party
- Cheping Gardens Street party on 15th August
- Botley Fire Station Open Day – usually in September
Botley as a Destination
Botley has a major transformation coming soon with the opening of the bypass. Where a once car centric high street can be reclaimed as a new people centric space. But how do we bring this opportunity forward?
A joint project with Hampshire County Council and Eastleigh Borough Council. Working under the guidance of the Love Your Place programme at the University of Southampton is how. We have our first business led workshop on the 11th March. From this workshop a series of briefing papers describing a specific challenge to be solved in making Botley a Destination during the remainder of 2026 and into 2027 will be prepared. All in readiness of the bypass opening in the summer of 2027.
The aim is that by 2027 Botley will have a superb new High street courtesy of Hampshire County Council. A High Street that slows cars, prioritises people and is welcoming to visitors. With way finding and signage that is clear and useful. Botley’s digital footprint will be showcasing the village. Our businesses are joined up and cohesive in promoting all that Botley has to offer. In short, folk know about and want to visit Botley.
Botley Bypass
Two milestones to be aware of in 2026 are the positioning of the spans for the new bypass viaduct over the River Hamble. This involves a big crane building an even bigger crane. Along with the closure of the Pinkmead mini roundabout during Easter. Please regularly check the Hampshire Botley Bypass page to keep abreast of the latest developments.
New Workshop
A planning application is to be submitted in early 2026 for a new grounds workshop on the existing site – where the current workshop is on the High Street Rec. Financing the new workshop will be via reserves, a public works loan or a mix of both. The workshop could be ready by early 2027.
Trees
Our tree projects are in three distinct areas. The first is linked to our parish pollinators pledge. This is the growing of more trees and wildflower beds at Little Hatts as it is being strategically groomed for a future Green Flag award. So will also see investments in signage, parking provision and recreational facilities (paths, benches and play spaces). Alongside the new trees and pollinators.
The second is taking on Ford Lake SINC in Boorley Green. This single transfer means Botley Parish Council is now responsible for an estimated 5000 trees (subject to confirmation). The third is some serious coppicing of the Rec trees (due to ash die back) and managing Pudbrook as per the ecology management plan (removing invasive species). A stretch plan for 2026 is to create a new avenue of trees on the High Street Rec.
Our trees are also being catalogued in Parish Online. This way we can better manage tree risk and maintenance. The data entry effort here is high but will be worthwhile in future years.
Maintaining the existing assets
One of the critical jobs of the Parish Council is the ongoing management of the existing asset base. The Parish team have secured funding via HEWEB LAC (at Eastleigh Borough Council) for a revamp of the High Street Recreation Ground play area. We will be inviting ideas of what equipment you would like to see in a new play park and have the community involved in picking the final design – please use this link to submit your ideas – High Street Recreation Ground – New Play Area – Fill in form.
The old skate park is now deemed no longer best in class. Based on community feedback via the facilities survey, as well as the availability of budgets a new plan for this space will be brought forward. The parish team are also keen to find a suitable location in the parish for a new bike/skate cross park.
Please use the facilities survey to submit your ideas.
As the parish team take on responsibility for the green spaces and play areas in Boorley Green, on the Boorley Park estate. This part of the parish will have additional seating and new planting during 2026. More details to follow later in the year.
Boorley Gardens
The new housing on Boorley Gardens is due to have more units completed in 2026. Learning from the experience at Boorley Park, the intention is to engage with the developers early and seek to bring forward some of the responsibilities for maintenance and asset management earlier in the handover process. This intent may be complicated by the switch to the new unitary council. Watch this space.
Botley Youth
The Parish Council has been really pleased with the uptake in youth services and can see strong demand for more activities, coverage and 1-2-1 youth engagement. To that end an ongoing, multi-year commitment for further investment in our youth services provision is going to be prepared for in our 2026-27 budget. The specifics of which will be flushed out through the year.
Volunteering
The team have several volunteering opportunities during 2026. “Pudbrook volunteers” are to be re-booted. With new opportunities in Boorley Green at Ford Lake SINC. With a new task on the to do list of removing Himalayan Balsam from our patch of the River Hamble. Sign up to join the volunteer circle via this page:
Pudbrook Volunteers Time 4 Good invite to the circle
Ready for 2027 and beyond
I realise it sounds bonkers talking about 2027 when 2026 has only just commenced. However, it is essential to look ahead on a multi-year plan. For instance, ensuring we have the right people and the right skills in place. To that end, assuming budget and the right candidate we are aiming to hire another grounds apprentice for an Autumn start. This is an example of a multi-year commitment and future proofing the parish in a sector with a shortage of skilled workers.
2027 is a massive year for Botley as it sees the opening of the bypass and the start of the High Streets new journey. Our plans and thinking in the next few years are going to be skewed by this milestone. I am confident though we have solid foundations being built with the plans in place for 2026 to give Botley High Street the best chance of a successful post bypass future.
My thanks in advance to the team for all the support. Wishing our community and all the parish team a prosperous year ahead.
Cllr Chris Cooper
Chair Botley Parish Council
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