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Letter to the Echo from Graham Mole, Bishopstoke, 25 April 2018: This letter, about Eastleigh’s Local Plan and Hampshire’s water shortage, appeared in the Daily Echo last week. (Disclaimer: ADD tries to publish as many opinions as possible about Eastleigh’s Local Plan. This 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.)

Under the heading “Will new homes wreck the River Itchen?”, Graham Mole’s letter read:

“HOW on earth is Southern Water going to supply over 5,000 new homes without wrecking the world famous River Itchen?

It’s already admitted to a government enquiry that in just two years’ time the company won’t have enough water to go round. And that’s just when – under Esatleigh council’s plans anyway– we’ll see over 5,000 homes, each one needing its own water supply.

The water company’s solution? It’s now being forced to think about a desalinisation plant or maybe a new reservoir. Or maybe both!

And the cost of that? Wait for it! The company admits it’ll be a billion pounds.

And who pays? We do. Each one of us.

And who do we have to thank?

Who’s up for re-election on May 3rd?

Step forward Eastleigh council!

Can it really be expected to get our vote when it has voted to slap over 5,000 homes on green fields, ruin the edges of ancient woodlands, disrupt wildlife and by doing so will be responsible for every single voter having to pay more for their water?

No wonder five Lib Dem councillors have already quit!”

Graham Mole
Bishopstoke

To read the original version of the letter, 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, Alexander Hughes, Green candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council and for Allbrook & North Boyatt Parish Council, has sent us the following email:

“We’ve all seen the road signs when driving into Eastleigh, “Welcome to the Borough of Eastleigh – Tackling Climate Change”. I don’t believe that Eastleigh Borough Council has done much to live up to this statement or propose anything positive for the environment with its current Local Plan.

The suggested 5,200 new homes are unlikely to be affordable for most people and will only further stretch already overburdened local resources such as schools, roads and hospitals. The Eastleigh Green Party would like to see genuinely affordable, zero-carbon homes built on brownfield sites. One of our key policies both nationally and locally is strong protection for the Green Belt, National Parks, SSSIs (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We are greatly concerned about the ecological consequences the current plan has on local sites of ancient natural woodland and the Itchen.  We believe that any revised Local Plan should include a population cap in order to safeguard local infrastructure and limit the environmental impact.

What have we learnt from building new roads or expanding motorways? These fill up with yet more traffic and further increase pollution. Steps to make public transport more affordable and better integrated offer a more sustainable solution. For example, the Eastleigh Green Party will promote investment in hybrid and electric buses in order to reduce traffic emissions and an “Oyster Card” type system for fluid travel across the county.

The Green Party believes that the best way forward is by working with each other, rather than against each other, in a way that prioritises the rights of citizens and the environment over those of corporations. We see that the only way forward for humanity is an economy based on sustainability and equality.

Protecting the environment is the whole reason for the Green Party’s existence; it is at the heart of everything that we do. Does this not make the Green Party the obvious choice in May?”

Alexander Hughes, Green Party candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council; and for Allbrook & North Boyatt Parish Council

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, Jill Payne, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central, has sent us the following email:

“Whilst acknowledging the considerable demand for housing locally, I oppose options B and C and the council’s emerging plan.

Eastleigh has significant unmet demand for affordable housing, with a higher proportion of private renters, and Eastleigh’s previous plan was rejected because of this.  These options are developer led, low-density greenfield developments so profitable for developers in the provision of high-end, market value housing, which is seeing increasing urban sprawl across our countryside and providing little in the way of genuinely affordable housing for local people.

Nationally the housing market is broken and can no longer be left to the free market – increasingly subject to investment and speculative gain for corporate developers and private landlords. We have seen historic levels of private profit and earnings for those at the top, whilst young people in the South East are increasingly locked out of home ownership and facing a future in private rentals which generally fail on adequate standards, affordability and the provision of long-term secure tenancies.  Only Labour has an alternative solution and commitment to investing in and building genuinely affordable and quality social housing.

Whilst most councils have retained some traditional council housing, both as investment and for regular inflows of cash, the Lib Dems in Eastleigh find themselves increasingly reliant on corporate developers and housing associations and lack the transparency, flexibility and control over rents and tenures, accordingly. Whereas eligibility for council housing has been based on an affordability rate of 25% of household income, the Lib Dem-controlled EBC has already looked at how increasing this to 40% of income would reduce its obligation to provide for affordable need.

Finally, we see the Local Plan as a chance to get things right for the long term by investing on brownfield sites across the borough, such as Riverside, and encouraging widespread use of properly integrated public transport.  More expensive and less attractive to profit-led developers, such developments provide for the long term benefits of local affordable housing, reduce pollution and protect historic landscapes, ancient woodlands, habitats and species for future generations to enjoy.”

Jill Payne, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central on Eastleigh Borough Council

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