On 15 June, Tabatha McCormick, Independent candidate, sent us the following email:
“It can often be said that you often don’t fully appreciate something until you have lost it. And the potential loss of huge swathes of our green space has certainly made me re-appreciate our local countryside. I moved to Eastleigh for work after finishing university and decided to make Bishopstoke my home for many reasons. One of the most important was the close proximity of the Itchen Navigation, Stoke Park Woods and Upper Barn Copse and the countryside that knit these areas together. Within a short walk from Bishopstoke I can feel that I am away from everywhere. My family and I have spent many happy times walking around this countryside, appreciating the changing seasons and wildlife that the local area has to offer.
“The plans for options B & C do not only affect us, they affect wildlife. Whilst we can say ‘it is OK we are not building on the woods themselves’ it does matter. These green corridors are the highways for animals to get from one area to another, they are also part of the heritage that we can hand on to future generations.
“As a parent I understand the need for housing for future generations. I worry about where my children will live and how they will be able to afford to buy a house in the local area (should they wish in the future). As a user of the local roads, as a motorist, cyclist and pedestrian I understand the frustration that we all feel when we try to travel by road to Eastleigh. I am aware that something needs to be done, that there is a need for better transport links and cycle paths. I don’t believe that options B & C provide an adequate solution to the need for new housing or new roads.
“Should I be elected to Bishopstoke Parish Council I would support the ADD campaign, to attempt to have a stronger voice for Bishopstoke to help to campaign to protect our area’s green spaces.”
Tabatha McCormick, Independent
