Why Aldershot?
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Aldershot sits within a fabulously green environment with beautiful open spaces and woodlands just a short walk from the town centre.
The town centre is home to The Wellington shopping centre and Westgate Leisure Park (including Cineworld cinema).
Aldershot also hosts the West End Centre – a thriving arts centre which offers a diverse range of creative activities – and the Princes Hall theatre.
Throughout the year, the town centre hosts a packed calendar of family events including Victoria Day, Armed Forces Day, Playfest Children’s Festival, and the Aldershot Christmas Cracker. A weekly market takes place on Thursdays.
Aldershot – a brief history
Aldershot was little known prior to 1850. However, in 1854, at the time of the Crimean War, the Government purchased land in and around Aldershot and established a military camp.
The ‘Camp at Aldershot’ was the first permanent camp for training troops on a large scale. This led to a rapid expansion of Aldershot’s population going from 875 in 1851, to more than 16,000 by 1861.
To serve all these soldiers, workmen, and labourers, shops of all kinds soon sprang up; the beginning of the town centre as we know it today.
You can learn more about Aldershot’s fascinating heritage with the free Aldershot Heritage Trails app.
Aldershot
A growing community
The Borough of Rushmoor has a younger and more diverse population than the rest of Hampshire and surrounding areas. This diversity is apparent with the wide range of retailers, cuisine, and cultural experiences in the town centre. With fantastic transport links, close proximity to London and Guildford yet offering more affordable living, there is a great demand from young professionals who want to move to the area.
The new Wellesley development on part of the former Aldershot Garrison site north of the town centre is providing 3,850 new homes of which 1,200 are already built and occupied. This includes a mix of home sizes and tenures along with two new primary schools, 110 ha of managed green space, and the refurbishment of six listed buildings, including the former Cambridge Military Hospital, which has now been converted to luxury apartments.
Aldershot Town Centre sees continuing growth with over 600 new homes as part of the Galleries scheme which is now underway, as well as several other residential developments coming forward, providing approximately 1000 homes in total over the next 5 years.
The recent opening of the Aldershot Enterprise Centre is helping to develop businesses in the town, offering affordable serviced office space and support for small businesses, sole traders, and start-ups.
Well connected
Aldershot is well connected to both the rail and road networks, with trains to London Waterloo every 30 mins. The town is close to the A3 and M3 for fast routes to Guildford and Basingstoke, and both roads connect with the M25, with the M4 also easily accessible.
Aldershot is also just an hour from the coast, with Hayling Island, the Witterings and port towns within easy reach.
A beautiful landscape setting
In addition to its parks – Manor Park, Municipal Gardens, Princes Gardens and Aldershot Park – Aldershot occupies an attractive location surrounded by green and open space.
Rowhill Nature Reserve, Brickfields Country Park, the Green-Flag certified Wellesley Woodlands, Southwood Country Park and Basingstoke Canal are nearby; the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the South Down’s National Park are to the south; and the Blackwater Valley runs through the area from the north.
