In 1965, the Basingstoke Borough Council acquired the Down Grange House and all the land, including the farm.
The latter was destined to be used for sporting facilities, while the house was refurbished and made into offices for the local council’s architects’ department. When the Civic Offices in London Road were built, the offices moved to their new abode in 1975.
Over the following years, various changes took place at Down Grange to house the hockey, athletics, football and rugby clubs.
In 1978, the construction of a pavilion close to the remaining farm buildings took place, and was opened in the summer of the following year. Plans also went ahead to build squash courts close to Down Grange House.
The house was acquired by Berni Inns in 1985 and it was restructured internally to have two restaurants and a bar, while a large car park was laid out for customers.
Meanwhile, the walled gardens that belonged to Down Grange House were found to be in a terrible condition, so the local council set about cultivating it into a dual purpose horticultural area where council staff could be trained and for the testing of new methods and equipment. It was opened to the public in September 1983.
In 1997, the present astro pitch was opened with a game played by the English and Wales hockey teams.
The planned development of the area looks set to attract other international teams in various sports to Basingstoke in the future.
With its new shopping centre, the town will no doubt attract even more people when the Down Grange sports area is completed.