ADD UPDATE, 27 November 2024: Although Eastleigh has seen significant development growth over the last few decades, it is on the cusp of the biggest housing expansion in its history – and residents will soon have a chance to comment on the proposals put forward by developers to achieve it. The emerging Eastleigh Local Plan will shape the borough and affect every aspect of life here for generations to come. So this is a pivotal moment, and we encourage people to get involved.
The government requires Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) to find room for 11,600 new homes over the next 20 years (18,040 if you include those already in the pipeline), of which 9,570 are earmarked for greenfield sites. On 4 December, EBC will formally publish all the available options; the public will have until 29 January to send in their comments before councillors decide on the best course of action.
There are currently four possible main development areas: north-east of Fair Oak (potentially 4,600 new homes); south of Bishopstoke (2,800); north of West End (4,600) and north of Hedge End (1,300). There are also 52 much smaller proposed sites.
ADD recognises the need for new homes as long as they are of the right sort and in the right places. We will be following the plan closely, commenting on the various schemes once we have scrutinised them and had discussions with officers. In the meantime, however, here are some of the main criteria we will use to judge them.
Brownfield sites: We believe it is possible to be more ambitious in the number of homes to be built on brownfield sites. The town centre and riverside in particular are ripe for the high-density, low-cost housing that would appeal to first-time buyers and people looking to rent. It is perfectly placed for all the amenities, as well as bus and rail transport. This kind of development would bring vibrancy to an area that needs a boost.
Minimising car use: It is hard to overstate the importance of choosing sites that reduce the need for car travel and that encourage people to use public transport and walk or cycle to their desired locations. A criticism of the previous local plan was that it involved building on environmentally sensitive locations well away from urban centres. The estates would have been almost entirely car-dependant, adding to the borough’s carbon footprint and yet more traffic to our already over-crowded roads. The railways, in particular, have the potential to fulfil the council’s number one pledge of tackling climate change. We believe there is potential for a new station near Allington Lane.
Types of housing: Another criticism of the previous Local Plan was that it favoured executive estates over starter homes and social housing. Options B and C of the plan, which were rejected by the government inspector, would have attracted wealthy outsiders and done virtually nothing to meet Eastleigh’s housing needs. We hope very much to see a better mix, including high-density housing so that more people can get onto the ladder or rent at prices they can afford. We also anticipate, of course, that the new homes will be fully energy-efficient making use of renewables where practical.
The National Park: The government inspector slammed the previous Local Plan for the traffic impact development close to the South Downs National Park would have had on roads in the Park itself. This issue is as important and mission-critical as ever.
Don’t forget people: While there have been some excellent examples of people-friendly developments, this is by no means the norm. According to the Design Council, 75% of new housing schemes are either poor or mediocre – we cannot trust developers to get it right on their own. We shall be looking for imaginative lay-outs, with plenty of green spaces and parkland. We don’t need any more urban sprawl! Quality of life is every bit as important as meeting (frankly arbitrary) government targets.
If you have any views we should be delighted to receive them. Please contact us at [email protected]
