ADD UPDATE, 2 December 2016: Ahead of Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC)’s council meeting on 15 December, at which we believe it is likely to decide in favour of its Local Plan’s options B and C, its most destructive proposals, all EBC councillors have today received a report from planning consultants West Waddy, commissioned by ADD. This report looks at the options through the prism of nationally recognised planning best practice and environmental guidelines, as well as EBC’s own research and publicly stated objectives. ADD’s covering letter (below) emphasises the “momentous” nature of the decision and urges the councillors to recognise the report’s conclusion that options D and E “are overwhelmingly the best suited to meet Eastleigh’s housing needs from a practical, environmental and traffic perspective”.
COVERING LETTER
Dear Councillor,
Eastleigh Local Plan
Last summer we wrote to you about one of the most momentous decisions that Eastleigh Borough Council will ever be asked to take – determining the shape of the Local Plan 2011-36. This will have an irreversible impact on the whole character of the borough and some neighbouring areas.
It is a source of great concern to a lot of people that the options for meeting the demand for new housing in Eastleigh are being driven by developers who would not have to live with the consequences of their actions. With this in mind, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) commissioned a report from planning consultants West Waddy. Their brief was to look at the options objectively through the prism of nationally recognised planning best practice and environmental guidelines, as well as Eastleigh Borough Council’s own research and publicly stated objectives.
Their conclusion is that Options D and E are overwhelmingly the best suited to meet Eastleigh’s housing needs from a practical, environmental and traffic perspective. Furthermore, the North Bishopstoke link road (or bypass) is not required to relieve congestion on Bishopstoke Road, and Options D and E can be delivered without causing coalescence or the need to build the Chickenhall Lane Link Road. Whilst of course we do not claim that this report provides all the detailed answers, we nonetheless appeal to the council to engage with us in constructive dialogue before ruling out these options.
We would also ask you please to take the trouble to read and consider the arguments put forward in the enclosed report and the accompanying comparison of Options B and C with Options D and E, assessed against EBC policy objectives. The issues at stake are incredibly important for the whole area, and we thank you for your trouble. We will send you further reports as and when we commission them.
Yours sincerely,
Deborah Mitchell on behalf of ADD
Action against Destructive Development (ADD)
ADD is a coalition of villages, residents’ associations and supporters who oppose Options B and C of the Eastleigh local plan, and who believe strongly that there are better ways to meet the demand for additional housing.
