ADD UPDATE, 12 April 2020: ADD has obtained confirmation from Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) that Options B and C – its proposals for 5,500 houses to the north of Fair Oak and Bishopstoke – will be removed from its Local Plan, together with the proposed link road.
The assurance came in an email from EBC’s chief executive Nick Tustian after ADD chair John Lauwerys had tackled him on comments implying that Options B and C could still be included despite an instruction from the planning inspector to delete them from the Plan. Council leader Keith House had accused ADD of having misled the public when we said that the inspector’s letter meant that Options B and C would have to go.
Unfortunately that is not the end of the matter. Tustian went on to say that the council might revive Options B and C when the next Eastleigh Local Plan comes up for consideration in five years’ time. Although ADD is highly sceptical that this will be a serious possibility, it shows the need for continued vigilance.
Here is an ADD statement on the matter:
“ADD has received assurances from the chief executive of Eastleigh Borough Council that Options B and C will be removed from the Local Plan, as instructed by the planning inspector. There is now an opportunity to devise a Local Plan that, unlike the present one, genuinely addresses Eastleigh’s housing requirements without wrecking the environment. ADD would be more than willing to make a constructive contribution to this process. We don’t believe it will ever be possible to justify Options B and C, especially in view of the increasing emphasis on fighting climate change.”
ADD will publish an assessment of the way forward, and what needs to be done to secure the future environment and quality of life of our area, after its next meeting.
In the meantime, we thank our thousands of supporters yet again for your support and hope everyone stays safe and healthy at this difficult time, particularly over this Easter weekend.
