Blog

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, Ben Burcombe-Filer, Conservative candidate for Hedge End North on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I believe that options B and C is nothing short of eco-vandalism, destroying historical and ecologically valuable ancient woodlands and the eco-systems connected to them. 

What is more, I believe this eco-vandalism is to no good purpose, as the surrounding infrastructure simply will not cope with the additional homes, meaning Eastleigh’s problems will get worse rather than better as a result of the adoption of the Local Plan in its current format. 

With 26,000 additional daily traffic movements under the Allbrook [railway] bridge alone, the M3 would simply become a standstill at peak times, having a huge effect on air quality at the same time. Moreover, schools, hospitals and other services are already full to bursting and yet no mention is made in the Local Plan of how – or even if – they would be expanded to cope with the additional demand. 

What’s more the current documents only show evidence for options B and C rather than a broader consultation of all options which is a betrayal of the democratic process and of Eastleigh residents. 

Experts and expert bodies such as the Woodland Trust have been ignored – or worse dealt with aggressively – with [Council Leader] Keith House resorting to labelling concerns ‘fake news’. 

Overall, I am against not only options B and C but also the manner in which the whole process has being carried out so far. If elected, I would campaign for a root-and-branch overhaul not only of the Local Plan but also the way such decisions are made.”  

Ben Burcombe-Filer, Conservative candidate for Hedge End North 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, Steve Sollitt, Independent candidate for Eastleigh North on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“As a councillor, first elected in 1994, I know how important planning and local plans in particular are.

Planning is never an easy issue but it’s vital that councillors recognise when something isn’t right and won’t work. Generations have to live with the consequences of our decisions.

I grew up in Eastleigh and lived in Twyford Road for 20 years. The idea of this development – and of ripping a road through the local countryside and through Allbrook itself – is just beyond belief.

I left the administration in August last year over their inability to understand the consequences of the present plan and in particular the devastating impact of the road that runs through options B & C.

I stood up at council in December and demanded a rethink. The Independent group pointed out that the road wouldn’t relieve congestion and would cause increased traffic in other areas, including both Woodside Avenue and Twyford Road. It would only serve as a distributor road for the development in B & C and the issue of Allbrook Rail Bridge makes the route unusable for the very traffic we are told it was being designed to carry. The idea of building additional housing that isn’t required in line with plan numbers feels like a way of making the finance add up rather than to build a sound plan.

The plan needs a rethink. It’s also not guaranteed that this plan will lead to the closure of Allbrook Hill and the required traffic surveys are incomplete, even now.

Remember too that Winchester Liberal Democrats support my view on the road and it flies in the face of national Liberal Democrat policy.

I am standing as I want to continue to be a strong voice against the proposed plan and the impact of traffic on our town. There needs to be a rethink. The present plan is flawed and poor planing is a legacy I am ashamed this council wants to leave future generations.”

Steve Sollitt, Independent candidate for Eastleigh North 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, Gin Tidridge, Independent candidate for Bishopstoke Ward on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“The Major Development Area (MDA) north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak proposed in Eastleigh Borough Council’s draft Local Plan will be so destructive. And I hope the Planning Inspector realises that! 

I believe the council has cherry picked evidence to fit Council Leader Keith House’s desire to destroy beautiful countryside (far from his ward) and is struggling now to get the ecological and traffic data to match this proposal. Even flood risk hasn’t been assessed fully yet. The views of local people have been ignored by our borough councillors in Bishopstoke who all voted for the draft Local Plan on 11 December. Apart from one who left before the vote.

I share the Woodland Trust’s view that development should not take place where it damages sites of ancient woodland. And the Trust have been clear – building a new major road in the 120 metre gap between Crowdhill Copse and Upper Barn Copse will damage and fragment their woods.

And to read Keith House boasting in the Daily Telegraph that he is proud of committing to build 2,000 more houses than the council calculates are needed over our countryside saddens me.

I’ve campaigned actively for ADD since it started in 2016 because I am so concerned about the MDA. 

Voting independent can make make a difference, especially when the developers start to apply for planning permissions as these will be submitted to the council’s local area committees (LACs). If 3 of the 6 members of the LAC for Bishopstoke, Fair Oak and Horton Heath are independent, control will not sit with the council’s ruling party.

I believe Eastleigh Deserves Better.”

Gin Tidridge, Independent candidate, Bishopstoke Ward for Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 21 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, Lou Parker-Jones, Independent candidate for Bishopstoke Ward on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following email:

“I’ve supported ADD since its inception. You’ve probably seen me delivering leaflets, on one of the awareness walks or speaking against the proposals at public meetings. Woodland and the Itchen make not only Bishopstoke but also our borough special and should be protected for future generations.

I believe options B and C will:

• devastate ancient woodland and wildlife;
• increase road misery – the supposed North Bishopstoke Link Road would not be in place before development;
• Overburden our services (e.g., surgeries), which are already stretched; and
• lead to millions of pounds of debt for a road which will not be an asset that could be disposed of in the future.

Motivated by the lack of regard for local people’s views, I stood – successfully – as an Independent-ADD parish councillor in 2016 and I was second in 2017 county council elections. I represent people, not a party. Please make a difference: give local people a voice by voting Independent.”

Louise Anne Parker-Jones, Independent candidate, Bishopstoke Ward for Eastleigh Borough Council

For more information:
Twitter – @Lou_ParkerJones
Facebook – @LouisePJ
Email – [email protected]​

ADD UPDATE: 13 April 2018: A government inquiry last month heard that in two years’ time Southern Water might not have enough water to supply even the current households, let alone the more than 5,000 homes planned by Eastleigh Borough Council in its draft Local Plan. Moreover, fixing the problem would leave Southern Water’s customers facing huge new bills.

In a statement, Southern Water told the inquiry its only solution was to spend a billion pounds on alternative sources such as either a new reservoir or a desalinisation plant, or maybe both. But the company made clear the money could only come from its customers.

The inquiry was held to hammer out just how much water the company could take from both the Test and Itchen rivers. The latter has the highest possible EU protection and damaging it could cost the UK millions of pounds in fines. The Environment Agency wanted to restrict the company from taking too much water from the two world famous rivers. But as Southern Water explained in its position statement, the proposed changes “would put the company in the impossible position of having to break the law – either by breaching an abstraction licence in order to continue to supply customers in drought or force majeure events, or by breaching its duty to supply water to the public, a duty which is laid down by Parliament.”

The company also said: “We’re looking at ideas like improving and building a more connected network so water companies can transfer supplies more easily – from 2027 that would include better connections with Portsmouth Water and in the longer term a connection through Bournemouth to Wessex Water. Details of these £1 billion projects can be found in the Water Resources Management Plan. That plan – an industry first – looks 50 years into our shared future.”

But the inquiry heard the problem was more urgent – that in just two years’ time the company would, in technical terms, be “in deficit”. Moreover, that crisis would, if Eastleigh’s Plans were approved, coincide with the increase of at least 5,000 households in the area – astonishingly, nearly 2,000 more than the government requires.

In a joint statement at the end of the inquiry, the company and the Environment Agency wrote: “Southern Water’s concern was that reliance on drought permits or orders – or in the case of force majeure events, ad hoc discussion with the agency – to secure water supply would put Southern Water in breach of its supply duty due to the lack of certainty and the risk that Southern Water would not obtain the requisite authorisation in sufficient time.”

Indeed, despite substantial agreement between the parties on current licences, no agreement was reached on the merits of a potential future application for a drought permit or drought order.

As the Environment Agency concluded: “No evidence or convincing analysis has been provided, which compels a conclusion that the proposed arrangements do not adequately secure compliance with Southern Water’s public water supply duties.”

Where all this leaves Eastleigh’s Local Plan is not yet known. Could it be yet another nail in the Plan’s coffin?

Letter to Hampshire Chronicle, 12 April 2018: The Hampshire Chronicle has today published this letter from Geoff Naylor of Colden Common about the threat posed by Eastleigh Borough Council’s Local Plan to the Woodland Trust’s bluebell woods in Eastleigh.

Geoff Naylor wrote:

“SIR: Bluebells will flower later than normal this year. This is because of the recent ‘beast from the east’ cold weather. They are likely to be at their best at the time of the local council elections on May 3.

One of the most spectacular bluebell woods open to the public, around the south Hampshire conurbation, is Upper Barn Copse, owned by the Woodland Trust. This ancient woodland is easily accessible on public footpaths from Fair Oak and Bishopstoke.

However, this spring may be the last chance to see them in all their glory, as there is another – permanent – ‘beast from the east’ coming: beastly plans from Eastleigh BC that threaten to build 5,200 houses, partly on adjoining meadows, and construct a new major road to the M3 at Allbrook.

This development, if it goes ahead, will have an adverse and irreversible impact on this splendid wood and our beautiful bluebells.”

Geoff Naylor
Birch Close
Colden Common

For the Woodland Trust’s view on Eastleigh Borough Council’s plans, read this: “Eastleigh’s ancient woodlands are threatened by council’s Local Plan”, says Woodland Trust. 

ADD UPDATE, 10 April 2018: The Woodland Trust has for some time been extremely concerned about Eastleigh Borough Council’s draft Local Plan. By way of example, click here for a transcript of the statement the Trust asked local campaigner Rob Byrne to read to the councillors at the council meeting on 11 December last year. At this meeting, Eastleigh council voted for a Plan that includes 5,200 new houses and a new road north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak.

In the last few weeks, in the wake of the government’s recent announcement to give increased protection to our precious ancient woodlands, ADD campaigners have been back in touch with the Trust who report that their concerns have in no way diminished – in fact they remain as high as ever.   We believe the Trust has more expertise to opine on the impact of the Plan on ancient woodlands than the councillors who have been sharing their views on the subject in recent videos.  As such, we are doing all we can to ensure the Trust’s voice is heard.

Jack Taylor of the Woodland Trust said: “Once again, the Woodland Trust finds itself having to state that the proposals at hand are of utmost concern to us.  A number of ancient woodlands are threatened by large areas of housing development and a new road that could scythe between two of our own ancient woods.

“Our role is to protect ancient woodland. We therefore feel it is imperative that Eastleigh councillors fully understand the value of the area they wish to build on.

“Appendix 2a, Maps of Allocated Sites, p.10 [uploaded by the council] indicates that the proposed road would run hard up against the edge of Upper Barn Copse, one of our ancient woods. A road hard against the woodland edge could easily result in the loss of ancient woodland via incursions at its edge but it would also sever natural links with another of our ancient woods, Crowdhill Copse, and the Forestry Commission’s ancient Stoke Park Wood. We have previously been clear, and remain of the opinion, that we don’t believe that there is appropriate space for this road in this location. [See picture above.]

“Further along the route, the road is shown to run along the edge of the section of Park Hills Wood designated by Natural England as ancient woodland and also alongside the nearby Tippers Copse, which is currently believed to be an area of unmapped ancient woodland. Clearly, and despite the Master Plan Update, Appendix 16, sketch on p.22 [uploaded by the council] noting that protecting the setting of the ancient woodland is a constraint, and indicating that the road would be situated equidistant between the woodlands, our concerns remain. Aside from habitat severance these ancient woods would also suffer from damaging indirect impacts such as road noise, air pollution and light impacts.

“Ancient woodland is irreplaceable. It can’t be moved. It can’t be recreated. It has been there and evolved over centuries and this must remain the case.

“Our sites, Upper Barn Copse and Crowdhill Copse, are home to an array of flora and fauna. Bluebells, Butcher’s Broom and Solomon’s seal can be seen flowering in the spring and long-tailed tits and goldcrests are commonly seen and heard within the woods. For local people, these woods are their quiet, natural places away from the troubles of everyday life. Taking that away from the locals who enjoy them would be a tragedy.”

Click here for a map of the seven ancient woodlands that are threatened by Eastleigh’s Local Plan.

ADD UPDATE, 8 April 2018: As ADD supporters will be aware, there has been widespread praise for the government’s recent announcement to give increased protection to our precious ancient woodlands. The new draft of the National Planning Policy Framework now states that “development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats such as ancient woodland should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons”. Click here for the Woodland Trust’s view.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s Local Plan threatens no less than seven ancient woodlands, engulfing five in concrete and flanking a further two. See map here. There are no (legitimate) wholly exceptional reasons for doing so.

The government’s new clarity on protection for ancient woodland makes Eastleigh’s Local Plan look more unworkable than ever.

ADD UPDATE, 6 April 2018: There are local elections on Thursday 3 May for Eastleigh Borough Council and Winchester City Council. On the same day, there are also several parish elections, including for Allbrook and North Boyatt, Chandler’s Ford, Hiltingbury, Colden Common and Owslebury.

The ADD campaign is supported by members of all political parties as well as by local residents who do not support any political party. The ADD campaign has always been, and remains, politically neutral, working with anyone who shares the view that Eastleigh Borough Council’s draft Local Plan would be destructive if implemented.

ADD will not be endorsing or supporting any candidate in the elections.

Eastleigh’s draft Local Plan will be a key issue in these elections for local people. ADD’s coordinator will be inviting all candidates to submit a short statement giving their views on Eastleigh’s draft Local Plan and will be publishing these online as virtual hustings. Should candidates wish to submit their statements prior to this formal request, or in case we are unable to make contact, they should send them to [email protected].

Thank you.

Statement from the Member of Parliament for Eastleigh Mims Davies, 30 March 2018: After last week’s letter from Secretary of State Sajid Javid to Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, about Eastleigh’s Local Plan failure, Eastleigh MP Mims Davies issued this statement. We have printed it below:

“Eastleigh Borough Council has done just enough to avoid a major intervention by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid.

The Secretary of State is now continuing to keep an eye on and monitor the Council’s progress due to its persistent failure to put a Local Plan in place over many years to protect the community, environment and reflect local housing need.

In a strong letter to the Council, the Secretary of State points out he will not hesitate to use the full range of powers given to him by Parliament to ensure the full Plan is in place, and will be holding the Council to their new stated timeline.

The Secretary of State felt strongly enough to put a warning shot across their bows, and it is my strong belief that the Council has really only just done enough to avoid further action.

It is important to point out that this process is absolutely no endorsement of the Plan they’re working on and merely to say they have done just enough to hold officials from the Department back from coming through the door to take them to task.

I do feel very concerned like many local residents that even if the new and very late timetable is adhered to and the Plan comes forward, it is made of sand, as it may not get past the scrutiny of the independent inspector as recent stormy and hugely attended meetings have shown. The Council is not bringing the community with them on the choices they are making and this delay doesn’t help matters.

This is absolutely the final warning for the Council to buck up and make sure that they produce a sound, well supported Local Plan based on evidence which will protect green spaces and plan for the housing that we need.”

ENDS