Blog

ADD UPDATE, 9 September 2016: We will be holding a Village Meeting for Upham and Owlesbury residents (only, due to capacity restrictions) on the Eastleigh Local Plan 2016-36 at 7.30pm on Thursday 29 September 2016 in Upham School Hall. If options B and C go ahead, we will have a new settlement of over 6,000 new homes, twice the size of Bishop’s Waltham, on the unspoilt countryside south of Upham, between Fair Oak and Bishopstoke and reaching right up to the boundaries of the South Downs National Park.  This could result in 30,000 extra car journeys each day, creating dangerous traffic levels on our local lanes. We believe that this development is neither deliverable nor sustainable but, if we do nothing, it will happen. Come to the meeting to hear how the planning process is progressing, what happens next and how, together, we can fight this proposal. Refreshments available. Parking limited so please walk or share cars where possible.

ADD UPDATE, 7 September 2016: Our new website, and recent postings, have led to a massive surge in interest in our campaign to ensure Eastleigh Borough Council chooses the right Local Plan. We now urgently need more volunteers to staff our campaign and maintain this remarkable momentum. If you have experience in, or would like to turn your hand to helping us with, issues like digital media, PR, journalism, fundraising, research, planning, the law, leafleting or indeed anything you think we might need, please get in touch today. You would join a stimulating and fun group, pulling together for a cause we’re passionate about, and we would love to have you board!

Rob Byrne, 3 September 2016: In this brilliant new video, Rob Byrne reveals the truly shocking scale of Eastleigh Borough Council’s development plans north of Bishopstoke, so-called options B and C. From Lower Upham and the South Downs in the east to the motorway junction at Chandler’s Ford in the west. Starting with East Horton Golf Club, at the far south-eastern extremity of option C, which would be completely built on, Rob takes us through an extremely disturbing journey through what – for now – remains some of the UK’s finest countryside. Help us prevent this outrage now!

Eastleigh MP Mims Davies has backed a petition by local activists demanding the Chickenhall Link Road is built.

Mims met with Councillor Gin Tidridge, the petition’s coordinator from Bishopstoke Parish Council, yesterday to give her support to pressure group Action Against Destructive Development (ADD) in its campaign to “Get The Chickenhall Lane Link Road Moving” which has been supported by over 400 local residents.

The petition is asking the leaders of Eastleigh Borough Council, the Solent LEP and Hampshire County Council, as well as the Chancellor and Ministry for Transport, to back Mims Davies’s continuing call for this long required road to be built.

CPRE Hampshire, 31 August 2016: Since a fairly frustrating Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) meeting at the end of July, CPRE Hampshire has been working alongside ADD on the next steps to fight options B and C.  CPRE asks you take the time to sign the petition to “Get the Chickenhall Lane Link Road Moving” – see link in article.  If this road was built it would open up a number of more appropriate development options for the council.

Chris Tomkins/Rob Byrne, 29 August 2016: This great aerial photo by Chris Tomkins shows the extent of the destruction that options B and C would cause. Stoke Common Road is at the bottom of the picture, with Upper Barn and Crowdhill Copses in the middle of the picture, and Stoke Park Woods on the right. At the far top is the countryside north of Mortimer Lane, Fair Oak heading towards Upham. It’s important to realise the open countryside you see is only two thirds of the total ‘new town’ Eastleigh Borough Council is thought to be planning as Allbrook, Highbridge and the M3 are not visible.

Rob Byrne, 29 August 2016: In this video, Rob Byrne gives us a detailed exposé of the likely scale of the destruction that Eastleigh’s Lib Dem council are considering north of Bishopstoke – options B and C of their proposed Local Plan. It currently appears these options are – incredibly – the council’s favoured plan, so take a look at these stunning images now before it is too late.

Rob Byrne, presentation to Eastleigh Borough Council, 21 July 2016: I wish to register my opposition to this massive new town, aka options B and C, set to blight our villages.

I’d like to tell you about the rich wildlife habitat around the various fields and woods we locals refer to as Stoke Park Woods, and the fact that in the past the 4th Bishopstoke Brownies won a national award for a study of flora and fauna which was presented by David Bellamy in Northampton.

I’d like to tell you about over six miles of rights of way that will be lost.

I’d like to tell you about the incredible number of people that are able to access those rights of way by foot. Indeed a breakdown of figures collated over four days shows over 80% are from Bishopstoke, Fair Oak and Colden Common. This is in line with the previous Local Plan’s desire to see more access to the countryside without recourse to the car. Although 20% were also from as far afield as Romsey, Downton and Guildford following internet walks.

I’d like to remind you of the Hampshire County Council countryside access plan for the Forest of Bere, which highlights the need for more horse and cycle access. I’d contend that Stoke Park is superior for recreation to the large Forest of Bere woodland in Wickham, due to it’s diverse woodland, extensive views and the River Itchen – all of which combine to make marvellous walks and rides.

I’d like to remind you of the huge opposition from groups such as Eastleigh Ramblers, 12th Eastleigh Scouts, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the Woodland Trust.

I’d like to invite councillors to take a guided walk with me but I’ve already done that in conjunction with ADD and Guess what ?…… Not one bothered.

All these facts are clear to see in the submissions to the planning office, so as much as I would like to wax lyrical….. I won’t.

WHY ????

Because this whole process smacks of predetermination both to force through this option and to ignore the people of this borough who have responded in there thousands to oppose this.

My family, London Irish, arrived here over a hundred years ago and helped build this town, I hold in my hand a medal my dad was given by King Edward VIII in 1936 for the incorporation of Eastleigh as a borough, on it is the crest of that brave new town, with it’s motto SALUS POPULI SUPREMA LEX (“the welfare of the people is the supreme law”) which indeed Mr Mayor [Councillor Des Scott] is emblazoned across the top of the stage, above your very head.

Councillors, make yourselves worthy of your predecessors, names like Bradshaw, Quilley, and Soar. Listen to the people and save our beautiful accessible countryside, you have your own minds, you are not sheep, you are human beings! Thank you.

Daily Echo, 25 August 2016: IT WOULD be easy to dismiss the self- styled group Action Against Destructive Development (ADD) as just another group of self- serving residents who appear determined to protect their own corner of Hampshire. They have already fought plans to build 6,000 homes near Eastleigh and made themselves a force to be reckoned with by attracting over 1,000 names to their petition. Now the group is targeting not the proposal to develop in the area but what it claims is inaction and unnecessary delay in forging ahead with a £120 million road plan to build a road.

ADD UPDATE, 24 August 2016: Today we launch our refreshed website. We hope you’ll read it and want to get in touch. Our aim is that it becomes a channel to reach and engage as wide a group of people as possible to get behind our campaign. Our battle to ensure that Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) chooses the very best, sustainably located, development options for Eastleigh’s new Local Plan is critical to our long-term future. In two weeks, on 8 September 2016, EBC’s cabinet is due to meet to decide the way ahead. This will be followed by a full council meeting which we hope as many of you as possible will attend. As soon as we know the date, we shall let you know.