The Devil's Punch Bowl is a nationally important site of natural beauty and wildlife habitat but the opening of the Hindhead Tunnel on the 14th July 2011 will benefit much more than just the local flora and fauna.
The Hindhead Tunnel replaces a busy single carriageway road through a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is a busy commuting route used by more than 25,000 vehicles per day where long queues causing delays of up to 20 minutes often build up during rush hour.
The new £371 million 4 mile road includes a 1.2 mile twin bore tunnel which converts the last remaining single carriageway section of the A3, outside of London and Portsmouth
In the past many daily commuters and haulage operators have chosen to use the M3 motorway as opposed to the A3 when travelling between the M25 and the M27.
The new section of A3 will enhance the appeal of office, industrial and warehouse properties located south of Hindhead in areas such as Petersfield, Liphook and Liss as rentals in these areas can be up to 20 percent less than areas further north such as Guildford but the journey times to the M25 will now be dramatically reduced.
Shops in Petersfield town centre may also see an increase in trade as shoppers living in the Haslemere and Hindhead area decide to travel to Petersfield instead of Guildford .
“We have certainly seen an increase in enquiries for office, industrial and retail properties in the Petersfield area as businesses around Godalming or Guildford realise they can afford to rent or buy larger or more modern space and benefit from the quicker journey times the new road will provide.”
