Editing Thornhill, Southampton (section)

==History==
In 1954 the boundaries of Southampton were extended to include Millbrook, Redbridge, Harefield and part of Thornhill.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.localhistories.org/southampton.html |title=A History of Southampton |publisher=Localhistories.org |access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref> Thornhill was a small estate of private homes, which was massively expanded in the 1960s by the building of council properties. A large proportion of the occupiers of the original houses are retired accounting for the previously mentioned higher than normal numbers.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} After the introduction of The [[right to buy scheme]] in the late 1980s, a considerable number of the council properties were purchased from Southampton City Council.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}} [[Owner-occupier]]s represent 43.9% of properties according to the 2001 census compared to 47.5% local council tenure. The remainder are made up of Housing Association and privately rented homes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/HomeBuyingSchemes/BuyingSchemesArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4001398&chk=VXclp7 |title=Buying your council home – the Right to Buy scheme : Directgov – Home and community |publisher=Direct.gov.uk |date=2 April 2012 |access-date=2 May 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060906112044/http://www.direct.gov.uk/HomeAndCommunity/BuyingAndSellingYourHome/HomeBuyingSchemes/BuyingSchemesArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4001398&chk=VXclp7 |archive-date=6 September 2006 }}</ref> The main road through the estate is Hinkler Road, which was named in honour of its most famous resident, [[Bert Hinkler]] who flew solo from England to Australia in 1928, there is also a pub named after him, The Hinkler, on Hinkler Road.

Recognised as an area of social deprivation, Thornhill was one of 39 areas around the country chosen in 1999 for the New Deal for Communities.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/page.asp?id=617 |title=New Deal for Communities |access-date=2007-05-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070607005116/http://www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/page.asp?id=617 |archive-date=7 June 2007 }}</ref> This was controlled by a board of 12 local residents and 8 representatives of relevant agencies (police, primary health care, city council, chamber of commerce etc.) and was known as Thornhill Plus You. Almost £50 Million was available to invest in the area over a 10-year period which commenced in 2000. This was spent on a large number of diverse projects.

As part of the redevelopment of Thornhill, during the morning of Tuesday 29 June 2010, a [[turf-cutting ceremony]] signalled the start of construction at Eastpoint Centre in Burgoyne Road, Thornhill. The centre, now the Highpoint Centre, provides a hub for business and community alike. It boasts the latest conference facilities across a three-storey 3,770 sq m development. There is also training space, a social club and a cafe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8243908.Turf_cut_for_new_conference_and_community_centre_in_Thornhill/ |title=Turf cut for new conference and community centre in Thornhill (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=2 May 2012}}</ref>

A succession strategy for the end of the 10-year programme was put in place resulting in the formation of Plus You Limited. The purpose of this was to ensure continued regeneration and benefit for the community of Thornhill.