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Countrywide store - Bob (11th Apr 2021  19:10:29) Does anyone know if there is anything going on with this place? Seems an obvious spot for a little Waitrose (other shops are available) or something right by the station. I emailed the agents to find out what the situation is but never heard back.

Re: Countrywide store - AF (11th Apr 2021  21:45:16) It migjt be nice to have another supermarket in Liphook but it won't happen. If you look at Liphook, Haslemere and Bordon most major supermarkets are already in place, the only ones missing are Aldi and Morrisons. Also with much more online shopping being done and COVID only accelerated this trend you don't need extra shops. And lastly if somerfield couldn't make it work when Sainsburys came in who will. Lets face it a large site next to a station will be a block of flats.

Re: Countrywide store - Ian (11th Apr 2021  22:15:07) Won’t be residential! Site must be used to provide employment! Care home possible but otherwise will need to be commercial to comply with EHDC policy (which they will not set a precedent by changing)

Re: Countrywide store - James (11th Apr 2021  22:25:58) Would be a good spot for a youth/community centre with a potential for a basketball court where the car park is. It could include, a community cafe which is run by locals and a permanent place for the youth club. We don't have to settle with flats, a large development like that can be used for a variety of things, not just housing.

Re: Countrywide store - Kev (11th Apr 2021  23:32:14) I guess that couldn't cover the £120k annual rent....

Re: Countrywide store - Keith (12th Apr 2021  09:28:30) A lot depends on the size of the store - if it's less than 1500 square metres, was previously a shop, and has been empty for more than three months then under the new planning class MA it can be converted into residential under the prior approval process - subject to meeting noise conditions etc.

Re: Countrywide store - D (12th Apr 2021  10:29:29) I do believe two houses stood on this site before the current building went up, so if housing were built there it would be reverting to it's original use anyway. I do believe there is a current planning application in Liphook applying for change of use from commercial to domestic use so I can't see planning being refused for housing. No point in retaining it for commercial use if there are no takers. What we really want is a multi story carpark to take away all the commuter's vehicles parked all over the place.

Re: Countrywide store - joe (12th Apr 2021  13:47:15) It has now been earmarked in the local plan for residential. If a building cannot be sold as commercial, new planning rules have come in that allow residential without having to go for the old style permissions unless the local authority have designated that building for commercial use only. This did not happen when they recently reviewed our stock of commercial buildings.

Re: Countrywide store - AF (12th Apr 2021  13:59:58) I agree with D, there is no point keeping it for commercial use if there are no takers, in time it will decay and become a real eyesore. I honestly can't see a commercial future for the site, there's no demand for a shop of that size in liphook, we have loads of empty office space and with the COVID giving people the chance to work from home many will carry on with that system and overall less offices will be needed. As for a care home the elderly people don't want to be next to a railway line. As for the multi-story car park another non-starter, commuters will not pay to park there car when there are lots of roads nearby that are free to use, and besides a lot of the commuters have yet to return to the railways.

Re: Countrywide store - r (12th Apr 2021  17:45:56) I think this would be an ideal site to convert into a homeless hostel/centre or something similar. There are many groups of disadvantaged individuals that need a type of halfway house and with its location close to the station and medical facilities this would be a really enlightened and compassionate use of this site

Re: Countrywide store - d (12th Apr 2021  19:27:51) r And who is going to pay for this ?

Re: Countrywide store - James (12th Apr 2021  20:13:04) I agree with r, it should be used to benefit the community, housing will not benefit the community.

Re: Countrywide store - Sara (12th Apr 2021  22:24:34) Somethings goin on, I saw a man in a suit coming out of the store the other day.

Re: Countrywide store - James (13th Apr 2021  14:37:21) r, I don't believe there is many homeless people nearby however it would make a good food bank serving the local communities.

Re: Countrywide store - r (13th Apr 2021  15:16:21) James, due to its size i was thinking it would be suitable as a homeless hub where all the homeless from across Hampshire could be sheltered and supported together, With its ease of access it could be like a beacon of hope to draw the homeless from far and wide.

Re: Countrywide store - AF (13th Apr 2021  18:25:01) r I do hope your joking, can you imagine the NIMBY's of Liphook inviting all of Hampshire's homeless to Liphook.

Re: Countrywide store - D the doddery denigrator (13th Apr 2021  19:42:19) For it to be used as a centre for the homeless (or indeed any other purpose which would benefit the community?) it would first have to be purchased from the present owner (if indeed said owner/owners do wish to sell.) Does anyone know the market value of this property and how this sum of money would be achieved in order to facilitate said purchase?

Re: Countrywide store - er (13th Apr 2021  20:42:55) If you started a gofundme for a good cause, say refugees from France or the victims of county lines drug gangs in Liphook, I'm sure you'd raise that in no time, there are many wealthy pop stars who wouldn't hesitate to raise a million or two if they became aware of it, even if it meant skipping a foreign holiday next month, at the very least they'd lend their support with a heartfelt soundbite on the Daily Politic Show!!

Re: Countrywide store - James (13th Apr 2021  20:46:46) AF, I think it is just what Liphook needs. People need to stop being so stuck up and start helping others not there pockets.

Re: Countrywide store - Dave (13th Apr 2021  22:04:51) Based on an 120k rent I imagine it’s worth in the region of just north of £2m.

Re: Countrywide store - D the doddery denigrator with nothing better to do (13th Apr 2021  22:22:14) Surely in this scenario it would be better to demolish the existing building and build individual purpose built flats for all these homeless people? Ah, we can't, "Housing will not benefit the community."

Re: Countrywide store - Joe (14th Apr 2021  09:26:12) In these days of working from home I doubt the commercial rent of 120k per year could be realised which is why it is going to be residential. Flats would seem a good thing there as there is a dedicated car park.

Re: Countrywide store - er (14th Apr 2021  12:56:58) There is no need for a car park, it's right next to a train station! Surely now is the time to applaud our planners for phasing out parking spaces with a view to future proofing our residential sectors!! We are in the last stages of 'human driver' car ownership. Soon thankfully (for our greater benefit), transportation will be robotic, controlled and safer, you will simply summons a pod from your connected device (or better still for convenience, an advanced chip, the approved provider could supply free implantation for new customers). Fleets will all by then, be owned by international corporations and their Hedge Fund backers, there will be no need to park pods, they will simply return when the client is ready to go as by then, the corporations will have far better algorithms to benignly analyse our behaviour for society's benefit (perhaps providing ads that cater for our interests whilst we sleep whilst always helpfully analysing our microchips to better understand us). Human drivers must then of course be banned from public roads for everyone's safety as they will be deemed too antiquated to coexist with the superior Automatic Intelligence Unit of the All Seeing Central Computer System and of course, a potential criminal or terrorist risk, so for our safety it should be required that humans stay on the footpath in areas where non-registered travel is still permitted to them:)

Re: Countrywide store - M (14th Apr 2021  18:04:03) Good to see that some people still have a sense of humour and love winding people up! Made my day reading all the b##l s##t written on this post, long may it continue. Keep up the good work everyone, we all need a good rumour mill and Talkback is a great one, love it!

Re: Countrywide store - Allan Ireland (15th Apr 2021  21:21:50) Could we please have our own AIRHOP type of building (trampolines etc) for children of all ages...including soft play area. It would make money and give employment. The Guildford one is also near a railway. Any takers ?

Re: Countrywide store - James (15th Apr 2021  22:27:15) I totally agree Alan, that is something that would benefit the local community. I would imagine that schools such as the Juniors + Bohunt could also make use of it as part of their Physical Education Curriculum.

Re: Countrywide store - C (16th Apr 2021  09:52:55) It would be a great location for a proper skate park too. Just going to put on a hard hat for the inevitable flak!!

Re: Countrywide store - AF (17th Apr 2021  19:55:13) Don't be silly you can't have any resource that kids would enjoy in Liphook.. So no skatepark or Airhop.

Re: Countrywide store - paul (18th Apr 2021  18:14:04) Hi, The problem with the Countrywide building is has multiple landlords sharing the site including other companies. It is very difficult if not impossible (why it has stayed closed for a long time) to negotiate a deal with so many stakeholders for a way forward.

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