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Daily Mail, 25 April 2018: This article, about Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC)’s plans for 5,200 houses and a new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak, has been published in the Daily Mail. (Disclaimer: The article does not necessarily represent the views of ADD. Rather, it is published, like others, in order to show the various perspectives that inform the debate.)

The article starts: “Stoke Park Wood in Eastleigh, south Hampshire, is home to hundreds of acres of ancient forest, wildlife and trickling streams. Aside from an occasional dog walker or horse rider, there is hardly anyone around on the muddy bridle path on the edge of the woods. It’s bitterly cold, but with the sun shining it’s hard to imagine a more perfect location for a country walk. But that could all be about to change. The local council wants to build a motorway link road straight through the middle of this beautiful woodland — then put up 5,200 new homes on the surrounding greenfield land.”

In the article, Lib Dem council leader Keith House, pictured, says: “There is no alternative solution closer to the town centre with the right infrastructure.” Those of you who have followed the evidence that ADD has collected will know that this is simply untrue – there is indeed a better more sustainable alternative.

To read the full article click here.

ADD UPDATE, 25 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Simon Payne, Conservative candidate for Eastleigh North, has sent us the following email:

I have lived in Eastleigh town centre for over 16 years. I initially took an interest in local issues due to air quality back in 2013. For the past couple of years, I have been a regular attendee at Eastleigh Local Area Committee meetings and I have spoken on agenda items and in public participation on several occasions.

I believe on the evidence that I have seen that options B and C are not the correct solution to Eastleigh’s lack of a Local Plan.

From attending the full council meetings on the Local Plan and the ADD public meetings, I have heard the numerous statements about the impact that building this road would have on the countryside and ancient woodlands. These are extremely precious sites that must be protected. Quite simply no amount of mitigation can offset the damage option B and C would do to this area.

I spoke at the council meeting in December against the proposal for the Major Development Area north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak. I previously also spoke against the Stoneham development.

We already have air quality issues in the town centre on Leigh Road, Southampton Road and Bishopstoke Road. The progress on resolving these has been underwhelming to say the least. If the proposed road were to be progressed are we going to see even further areas of poor air quality? Unfortunately, a lot of the evidence is still work in progress on the Local Plan.

I feel that this council has failed to consult with residents enough as part of the local planning process. The Local Plan process feels developer led and therefore not the best for Eastleigh.

If you choose me to represent you in Allbrook, Boyatt Wood and Eastleigh North, I will be tenacious in standing up for your area. The extremely important decisions being made now will have long reaching implications and we must make sure we get them right.”

Simon Payne, Conservative Candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 24 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Paul Openshaw, Green candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I do not support the draft Local Plan. This is not a NIMBY attitude… our children and grandchildren need homes and we do not have, and are not building, enough.

Before any more greenfield development we must ensure all brownfield options are developed. At the same time, we must ensure that our infrastructure is able to cope. Our schools, surgeries and roads are at capacity.

For the record, I do not support new road building (improvements here and there would be welcomed) but want to see huge improvement in public transport provision.”

Paul Openshaw, Green candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 23 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Josh Constable, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I oppose the Local Plan because of its potential to be so damaging to the local environment, its failure to guarantee enough affordable housing and the infrastructure concerns that it raises for an already overburdened transport and public services network here in Eastleigh.

I was glad to see ADD also supporting the need for more homes to end the housing crisis facing this country. The Lib Dem plan for options B and C, by definition, is providing 3,380 ‘unaffordable’ homes, and that’s if the 35% ‘affordable’ target is met. Labour’s proposal is that at least 40% of new developments be council housing, and also to embrace new technology in the building of these houses, such as the new system-built housing factory to be built near the Eastleigh-Southampton border, and micro-generation.

It is a great shame that Eastleigh’s Liberal Democrats got rid of council housing in Eastleigh, as it is a great way to ensure good quality, genuinely affordable housing but also to bring in some cash to the increasingly indebted council. The time has come to stop buying commercial properties all over the south but to invest borough council money, in the borough of Eastleigh.

Labour’s commitment to using up all brownfield sites before considering building green belt land, in space consuming low-density developments, along with our commitment to protect those habitats that make Eastleigh such a pleasant place to live, and in turn provide for local wildlife. We cannot afford to be damaging ancient woodland, when Eastleigh is suffering an air pollution problem.

Building new roads will not solve the infrastructure problem, rather the borough council needs to look at lowering road use. To do this I and other Labour candidates want to encourage greater public transport use and coverage throughout the Borough and would look into the feasibility of bus subsidies to provide said solution.”

Joshua Constable, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central on Eastleigh Borough Council

For more information:
Facebook – @JConstable4Eastleigh
Twitter – @JoshuaConstabl6
Phone – 02380613357

ADD UPDATE, 23 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Phil Baker, Labour candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath, has sent us the following email:

“The decision to build 5,200 houses around ancient woodland and a new road which has yet to be declared feasible is far from ideal for Eastleigh’s new Local Plan. The likelihood is that rather than providing homes which are genuinely affordable for local people in urgent need of housing, this development will provide a suitable commuter residence for those being priced out of London, creating further traffic delays and pollution.

But what is the alternative for a council being whipped by the Tory government for housing quotas? The Lib Dem council have not excelled.  Their last Local Plan was rejected largely because it failed on enough affordable houses.  Their argument is that the funds from this large development can be used for amenities, such as new schools.  I, along with many would like to see brownfield sites, like Eastleigh Riverside developed, which would fund much needed improvements to Campbell Road bridge and a possible Chickenhall Lane link road. However, this would be more expensive and complicated for developers, who have great influence.

Politically there’s no difference between the Lib Dems and Tories, both blindly believing the free market is the only way forward, although the latter like to blame this failure on different parts of society, such as the elderly living longer and immigrants working in our schools and hospitals.  Homelessness is increasing and we have areas of the North which are ghost towns because of the lack of jobs while the South East is becoming more congested.

I believe that in a society where the rich are getting richer and the rest poorer, housing cannot be left to the free market.  This has failed nationally and locally.  The government and local councils must take responsibility by building council houses so we can have real control.  The Labour Party is financed by over half a million of its members, who’s input into national policy is growing thanks to Jeremy Corbyn‘s new democratic reforms.  Therefore we are the party with the power and the political will to implement an alternative solution to the national housing crisis.”

Phil Baker, Labour candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 22 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Mary Shephard, Labour candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I have lived in Fair Oak for the best part of fifty years.  I have struggled with the traffic all that time, and despaired as more and more houses have been built, without any improvements to the infrastructure.

The building of 350 houses recently on a site with inadequate drainage and sewage systems has caused disruption to existing residents, and damage to the ancient woodland of Stoke Park Woods. Planning permissions have been granted for 2,000 houses recently, but there are no plans to improve access to Eastleigh, Southampton or Winchester.

I am opposed to Eastleigh Borough Council’s proposed Local Plan, options B and C, which will further damage the woods, and destroy green fields. Promises to ‘create’ open spaces within these planned developments translates as leaving small areas of managed open space surrounded by houses, rather than fields of flowers, birds and wild mammals. I don’t need to spell out the pressure on health services, social services and schools.  If Eastleigh Borough Council can borrow money to build premises for hotels and Marks & Spencer, why don’t they create doctors’ and dentists’ surgeries where they are needed?

For many years I was a volunteer teaching for the Adults Literacy and Basic Skills scheme. I have served on Fair Oak Parish Council, and am a volunteer Trustee of Fair Oak Village Hall.”

Mary Shephard, Labour candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 22 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Ray Bellinger, Labour candidate for Bishopstoke on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“Not only as a Labour Party candidate but simply as a local resident, I have been appalled and dismayed at the proposal of building a road through the farmland north of Bishopstoke. To compound this by adding over 5,000 dwellings is simply wrong!

I’ve heard many arguments against this proposal, and yet the arguments for the idea appear very few and flimsy. Yes, we do need more affordable housing in the borough. But the emphasis is on affordable and not large investment homes. Some of the proposed homes are indeed meant to be affordable. However, time after time, this has been agreed between developers and councils, and in many circumstances clauses have then allowed developers to circumvent building the “affordable” part of the development.

The idea that traffic will be reduced from Fair Oak through to Eastleigh by building a new road through farmland between woodland is a ridiculous notion. Apart from the obvious obstruction to large vehicles at the Allbrook rail bridge, where other “relief” roads have been built, it has increased traffic in those areas because people try to use the relief roads as short cuts from other areas to avoid hold-ups on other major routes, such as motorways. Then adding another 5,000-ish dwellings, plus commercial traffic, that’s tens of thousands of extra journeys per day.

There is the pressure on local infrastructure, other roads, medical services and sewage to name but a few, many which are over capacity in this area already.

Another major concern is the destruction to the environment. The area proposed for a sprawling housing project is a major asset to the area. The local impact is not just about how pretty the area is. It is about its commercial and long-term environmental and economic value to the area. Thousands of us local people use this area for recreation: local children’s groups and schools use it to educate our kids; families out walking; dog owners; and fishermen on the river Itchen. This plan will impact the river, too.

I believe there are other, low impact ways ahead for housing in the borough.”

Ray Bellinger, Labour candidate for Bishopstoke on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 22 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Chris McKeone, Labour candidate for Bishopstoke on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I am totally opposed to Eastleigh Borough Council’s draft Local Plan – for an extra 5,200 to be built in the Bishopstoke and Fair Oak area, with a new road between Allbrook and the M3, and the outskirts of Upham.

These 5,200 homes would see Bishopstoke double in size. (5,200?  3,350 meets the government’s target for Eastleigh!). Their construction would impact hugely on the environment and a radical improvement in the infrastructure would be required.  Evidence demonstrating these problems has been put forward time and again, yet has been ignored and discounted.   The borough council claims to have ample evidence in support of options B and C, and yet some evidence was still not available when the council chose their preferred options in December 2017.

And what sort of houses will these 5,200 houses be? Will they be what we need in the Eastleigh area – lots of affordable homes, homes to rent, social housing? No. Not while a hefty developers’ contribution is needed to fund the new road. Developers will only pay such contributions if they can build enough high-price housing to make it worth their while. They may be compelled to build a proportion of ‘affordable’ housing, but they won’t build any more than they really have to.

So what of the proposed new road? The projected route passes through large areas administered by Winchester City Council, and they currently oppose the idea of this road. And then just how would this new road, intended to take large vehicles, such as Lorraine’s and double decker buses, cross the railway line near Allbrook? Can’t make it much wider. Dig down to make it deeper?   So near to the River Itchen? Fat chance without increasing the risk of the road flooding.

So, if this draft Local Plan goes ahead, we get lots of new houses that don’t meet local need, a road that won’t be able to accommodate the large vehicles it was intended to take, and the destruction of the environment around our village.

How can anyone support this outrageous plan?”

Chris McKeone, Labour candidate for Bishopstoke on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 22 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, David Betts, Independent candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council and for Allbrook & North Boyatt Parish Council, has sent us the following email:

“I am standing as an Independent candidate in both parish and borough elections as I strongly feel that I must be fully involved to be able to ensure that the electorate have all the information required to make informed decisions that will help shape the nature of the numerous individual local areas in the borough.

As an Independent candidate I can assist residents without the encumbrance of a political party regime and consequent pressure to toe the party/leadership Line that has become a major ingredient in the way the present Borough Administration has conducted its business.

I have lived in Allbrook since 1988, moving here from Bishopstoke where I was born and raised.

I have been an Independent Allbrook and North Boyatt parish councillor since 2013, and have a great commitment to the success of the Parish Council.

My main responsibilities on the Parish Council have been:

• Allotments – Council Representative
• Allbrook Meadow – Development Liaison.

I have also been actively involved in supporting residents in planning matters, following up applications, submitting objections where appropriate (both personally and on behalf of the parish council), and attending appeal hearings.

I am standing for re-election in the parish as I know we have made a good deal of progress in the last four years but are now entering a truly formative phase where much of the preparatory work carried out is ready to enable improvements around the parish.

My decision to stand as a borough Independent candidate has been driven almost exclusively by the continuing travesty of the Eastleigh Local Plan process! This has been despite a wealth of expert input warning of the consequences in pursuing the North Bishopstoke options (B&C).

Fellow residents, there are other options that enable the provision of the required homes in the Local Plan period to 2036. Options that are practicable, sustainable and support more adequately the protection of the environment and access to Public Transport!”

There is a better way! Vote for Independent candidates on 3 May.“

David Betts, Independent candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council; and for Allbrook & North Boyatt Parish Council

ADD UPDATE, 22 April 2018: Ahead of the local elections on 3 May, ADD has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) and Winchester City Council – as well as in the parish elections in Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common & Twyford and Owslebury – to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s Local Plan.

As you will be aware, on 11 December last year, EBC chose ‘options B and C’ for its Local Plan, namely proposals for 5,200 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.

As part of this virtual hustings, Steven Broomfield, Conservative candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath, has sent us the following email: 

“Eastleigh’s proposal for the Major Development Area north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak is an ill-thought dog’s breakfast, with the potential to cause immense disruption to the lives of so many residents of the area.

It looks as if the council have arranged their facts to suit Council Leader Keith House’s desire to trample over and despoil the nicest parts of the borough, far away from his power base in Hedge End. At the council meeting on 11 December when this plan was approved, one Fair Oak & Horton Heath councillor voted in favour, one abstained and the third didn’t vote because he has a pecuniary interest in the matter! Thanks for your support, chaps.

Keith House has been quoted in the national press, commenting that his council are ‘proud’ of committing to build 2,000 MORE houses than needed – why add to the chaos and disruption through sheer bravado?

The likely effect on flood risk has not be fully assessed, and the Woodland Trust have commented that development should not take place where it damages sites of ancient woodland… surely building a new major road between Crowdhill Copse and Upper Barn Copse will ruin the nearby woods as habitats for wildlife and recreation facilities for residents? Winchester City Council, too, have expressed major concerns. Even Winchester Lib Dems are campaigning against Eastleigh Lib Dems’ plans, for goodness sake!

I’ve lived in Fair Oak since 2001. Both my daughters grew up and went to the infant and junior schools and on to Wyvern. Most work days I cycle to Parkway station to take the train to London, so I see the amount of traffic on our roads. I don’t want to see the village my children grew up in swamped by massive over-development. (And who thought it was a good idea to build houses on the flood plain just before the River Inn?).

I urge voters to support any candidate who can defeat the Lib Dems and in Fair Oak and Horton Heath, that is Conservative. There are three seats available and we must elect sensible voices to represent our communities. I pledge, if elected, to work with anyone of any party (or none) who will undertake to offer a constructive opposition to Eastleigh Lib Dems’ destructive plans.”

Steven Broomfield, Conservative candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath on Eastleigh Borough Council