ADD UPDATE, 24 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.
As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 houses and a major new road north of Bishopstoke, Fair Oak and Allbrook and south of Colden Common, Owslebury and Upham, significantly affecting Boyatt Wood, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Otterbourne, Brambridge, Highbridge, Twyford and Bishop’s Waltham. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.
As part of our virtual hustings, Paul Openshaw, Green candidate for Chandler’s Ford, and Janice Openshaw, Green candidate for Hiltingbury, on Eastleigh Borough Council have sent us the following message:
“We are very concerned about climate change and resulting environmental damage and believe that a Green voice is needed at all levels of government. Every decision impacts on the environment to a greater or lesser extent and our input is vital.
We appreciate the need for new housing but believe there are adequate supplies of brownfield sites to meet demand. There can be no justification for the destruction of ancient woodland.
We believe enough compromises have been made for motor cars and our priority now must be to improve public transport… and encourage its use by making it cheap, or free, to use.
We would encourage a rapid move away from carbon fuels and encourage renewable energy wherever possible. The technology now exists to allow us to be carbon free in the short to medium term.
We are against any expansion of the airport. Most flights from Southampton are to destinations within the UK and can and should be done on cheaper forms of public transport. There is a place for air travel but no requirement to increase capacity.”
Paul Openshaw, Green candidate for Chandler’s Ford, and Janice Openshaw, Green candidate for Hiltingbury, on Eastleigh Borough Council
To view a picture of Janice, click here.
