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Steve Brine MP, 6 May 2019: Winchester & Chandler’s Ford MP Steve Brine has written to the likely new leader of Winchester City Council in the aftermath of last week’s local election results. Cllr Lucille Thompson is expected to form a new Liberal Democrat administration and the MP says he is keen to get early clarification about their approach to Eastleigh Borough Council’s controversial Local Plan process.

Mr Brine says: “There are grave concerns among many people about the impact of Eastleigh’s Local Plan on the communities I represent. They rightly want to know whether the now Lib Dem led Winchester will stand up to Lib Dem Eastleigh on behalf of our district or change the position held by the previous council leader.”

ADD UPDATE, 28 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Max Priesemann, Green candidate for Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery on Winchester City Council, has sent us the following message:

“I have opposed Eastleigh’s plans since I became aware of them two years ago. I am especially against the proposed options B and C which would cause a substantial increase in traffic that itself will result in increased pollution and congestion in a wide area, including Otterbourne and other parts of the Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery ward. This is understandably of great concern to residents in villages between Eastleigh and Winchester. Any council that acts against the result of its own consultations should lose its legitimacy.

Valuable ancient woodlands and their surrounding ecosystems should be preserved for wildlife and local communities. We need more woodland to absorb CO2 and fewer cars (and aviation) to contain climate change. Affordable housing is required for locals, but it needs to be planned sustainably. Our green belt must be protected especially while we could make use of brownfield sites.

Our towns and villages should be transformed to reduce the need for traffic by organising a flexible, frequently run, convenient and affordable public transport network. Focus on building routes for alternative forms of traffic instead of roads for cars. Build a tram network, encourage cycling and the use of small electrical vehicles like scooters etc. Cars waste a vast amount of space that can’t be used otherwise. (The airport wastes huge amounts of land too.) These areas could be greened into parks or indeed used for new social housing.

Our current housing crisis is due to lack of affordable housing not total number of houses. A land value tax would help to bring about this change. Large unused properties would have to pay more compared with smaller houses that could become more affordable instead.

Finally, covering up green spaces in and around our towns and villages will increase the risk of flooding. This is especially important as we will have to get used to more extreme weather events due to climate change that has already started and will accelerate if we carry on in the same way as we have done until now.”

Max Priesemann, Green candidate for Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery on Winchester City Council

 

ADD UPDATE, 28 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections this Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council (WCC), to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. 

With five days to go until the elections, 16 candidates have replied. We thank them for doing so. Significantly, several key candidates have yet to respond and not a single candidate has so far been willing to publicly support Eastleigh’s Local Plan… 

What have your candidates said?

In summary, 11 out of the 64 EBC candidates have responded. They, together with their statements, are as follows:

DEAN Ray, Independent candidate for Bishopstoke

MCKEONE Christine, Labour candidate for Bishopstoke

PARKINSON-SHANLEY Phillip, Conservative candidate for Bishopstoke

NEWCOMBE Daniel, Conservative candidate for Chandler’s Ford

OPENSHAW Paul, Green candidate for Chandler’s Ford

CONSTABLE Josh, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central

BETTS David, Independent candidate for Eastleigh North

CLARK Gordon, Labour candidate for Eastleigh South

BROOMFIELD Steven, Conservative candidate for Fair Oak and Horton Heath

OPENSHAW Janice, Green candidate for Hiltingbury

WEEKS Tracy, Green candidate for West End South 

Five WCC candidates have also replied. They are: 

WARWICK Janet, Conservative candidate for Badgers Farm and Oliver’s Battery

WILLIAMS Hannah, Liberal Democrat candidate for Badgers Farm and Oliver’s Battery

BRONK Tony, Liberal Democrat candidate for Colden Common and Twyford

LAI Andy, Conservative candidate for Colden Common and Twyford 

LUMBY Hugh, Conservative candidate for Upper Meon Valley

For the sake of completeness, we have listed below ALL candidates for EBC and WCC, together with whether they have responded. Candidates who have not yet done so, and would like to, can send their statements to [email protected].

Thanks to everyone for your interest in these virtual hustings. Don’t forget to vote on Thursday! 

 

CANDIDATES FOR EASTLEIGH BOROUGH COUNCIL

Bishopstoke 

DEAN Ray, Independent – REPLY

EDWARDS John, Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

MCKEONE Christine, Labour Party – REPLY

MIGNOT Trevor, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

PARKINSON-SHANLEY Phillip, Conservative Party – REPLY

 

Bursledon & Hound North 

CHILTON Pete, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

MOODY Lisa, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

RICH Jane, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

WELLER Jan, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

 

Chandler`s Ford

GROVES Tim, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

HOUSE Pete, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

NEWCOMBE Daniel, Conservative Party – REPLY

OPENSHAW Paul, Green Party – REPLY

PRIOR Jenni, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Eastleigh Central 

ARNOLD Nick, Conservative Party– NO RESPONSE

CONSTABLE Josh, Labour Party – REPLY

DOGUIE Jephthe, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

MOORE Andy, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

TANN Nick, Green Party– NO RESPONSE

 

Eastleigh North

BETTS David, Independent – REPLY 

HUGHES Alexander, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

O`NEILL Kathy, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

PAYNE Simon, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

SMITH John, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

TYSON-PAYNE Sara, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

 

Eastleigh South 

BRYAN Glenn, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

CLARK Gordon, Labour Party – REPLY

MANN Darshan, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

WILDIN Steve, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Fair Oak & Horton Heath

BROOMFIELD Steven, Conservative Party – REPLY

LYON Martin, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

MARSH Michelle, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

PAYNE Jill, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

STAPLETON Jack, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Hamble & Netley 

FOX Jeanette, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

MANNING Adam, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

ROBSON Sue, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

WHITE Trudi, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

WHITEHOUSE Andy, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

 

Hedge End North 

ALLEN James, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

BUDD Geoff, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

CAMPBELL Rosanna, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

CORBEN Ian, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

TOMLIN John, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

 

Hedge End 

GARTON Cynthia, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

GREENWOOD Chetana, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

JONES Benjamin, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

LAYLAND Betty Lou, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

YATES Chris, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Hiltingbury

DUGUID James, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

HUGHES Michael, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

LEECH Jean, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

OPENSHAW Janice, Green Party – REPLY

PRIOR John, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

West End North 

BURCOMBE-FILER Ben, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

FLEMING Glynn, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

GOMER Richard, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

KOSTED Geoff, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

MCGUINNESS Hugh, Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

 

West End South

BEARDER Tim, Liberal Democrat – NO RESPONSE

GREENWOOD Chris, UK Independence Party (UKIP) – NO RESPONSE

HALL Jerry, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

WEEKS Tracy, Green Party – REPLY

WILLOUGHBY Steve, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

CANDIDATES FOR WINCHESTER CITY COUNCIL

Alresford & Itchen Valley 

BORGES Karl, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

GORD-SMITH Russell, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

SAUNDERS Annie, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

WIGHT Ian, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery 

DOLBY Neil, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

PRIESEMANN Max, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

WARWICK Janet, Conservative Party – REPLY

WILLIAMS Hannah, Liberal Democrats – REPLY

 

Bishops Waltham

GOODING Sarah, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

HAINES Steve, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

MCLEAN David, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

WILLIAMS Jonathan, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

 

Central Meon Valley

CAMPBELL Sheila, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

HARPUM Christopher, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

NORMAN Mik, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

WESTON Vicki, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Colden Common and Twyford

BRONK Tony, Liberal Democrats – REPLY

BROWN Paul, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

GRAHAM Lucinda, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

LAI Andy, Conservative Party – REPLY 

 

Denmead

CLEMENTSON Judy, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

GODWIN Jude, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

PARKER Robert, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

PICTON-JONES David, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Southwick and Wickham

EVANS Therese, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

RAPPE Lorraine, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

SONY Paul, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

St Barnabus

BERRY Eileen, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

CRASKE Mike, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

FIELD Adrian, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

PERROTT Mike, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

 

St Bartholomew

ADAMS Andrew, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

BURNS Rose, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

FERGUSON Paula, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

SKELTON Teresa, Justice and Anti-Corruption Party – NO RESPONSE

WALKER-NIX Dave, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

 

St Luke

DAVIES Patrick, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

GOODING Giles, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

GREEN Derek, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

TAIT Ian, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

 

St Michael

ASHTON Guy, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

ELLIS Gavin, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

GOTTLIEB Kim, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

HALLMANN Julia, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

 

St Paul

BARRATT Karen, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

SIMONS David, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

TOD Martin, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

WAINWRIGHT Andrew, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

 

The Worthys

BIDDLE Signe, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

HARLEY Charlotte, Green Party – NO RESPONSE

RUTTER Jane, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

VALENTINE Tessa, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Upper Meon Valley

KERSHAW June, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

LUMBY Hugh, Conservative Party – REPLY

North Lewis, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

 

Whiteley and Shedfield

FERN Jonathan, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

HUXSTEP Roger, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

RIDLEY Alison, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

 

Wonston and Micheldever

GORDON Ian, Liberal Democrats – NO RESPONSE

HORRILL Caroline, Conservative Party – NO RESPONSE

WILKINSON Jude, Labour Party – NO RESPONSE

ADD UPDATE, 27 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Hugh Lumby, Conservative candidate for Upper Meon Valley on Winchester City Council has sent us the following message:

“I represent the Upper Meon Valley ward on Winchester City Council. The ward directly adjoins Eastleigh Borough Council and the area proposed for the development, especially the parishes of Upham and Owslebury.

Residents are rightly concerned about the scale and impact of this development. They live with the South Downs National Park [SDNP] in an area of stunning beauty. The SDNP has an aim to promote the tranquillity of the area. Placing 5,000 plus homes in open countryside next to their communities will endanger that tranquillity.  It will destroy open land, hurting the environment. 

It will put increased traffic on our roads. These are narrow lanes, often not wide for cars to pass easily. This increased traffic will disturb the villages and outlying communities. And it will endanger residents as the roads often do not have pavements. This is the case in both Owslebury and Upham. Increased traffic causes noise and fume pollution in addition.

There are also concerns about the extra pressure on our infrastructure and services and questions as to where these people will be working.

We therefore strongly oppose Eastleigh Borough Council’s proposed Local Plan.”

Hugh Lumby, Conservative candidate for Upper Meon Valley on Winchester City Council

ADD UPDATE, 26 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Gordon Clark, Labour candidate for Eastleigh South on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following message:

“We can’t escape the need to build new homes for the growing population of Eastleigh and its surrounding areas, but the proposals put forward by Eastleigh Borough Council do not take into consideration the impact it will have on our environment. The number of dwellings proposed will add too much traffic to our already strained roads and tip our air quality into unacceptable levels. The council’s report on air quality from 2018 warned that the area couldn’t cope with more than 2,000 new homes in the area and this proposal is for more than 5,000. It’s not just the increase in private cars, but the extra lorries supplying more goods to shops and supermarkets. Our water and sewage systems will also be strained as will our schools and doctors’ surgeries.

The majority of these houses won’t even be affordable for Eastleigh residents in need of their own home. They will however be attractive to people working in London who wish to live in our green and pleasant borough and commute daily, adding more misery to the people already suffering jam packed trains every day. What we really need are zero carbon council houses and flats, close enough to Eastleigh town centre, with good public transport links and green parks with safe play areas for children.

I’m no planning expert, but even I can see the many flaws in the council’s proposals and it’s time the residents of Eastleigh were properly consulted about plans that will affect them and their children in the future.

If I’m elected I will be a small cog in a large Lib Dem controlled council, but I will have the backing of the Labour Party behind me, with all their expertise on housing and environmental issues. I will work to ensure any future plans do not have a negative impact on our beautiful region and any housing plans address the needs of the residents already living in the Eastleigh borough.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and please don’t forget to vote on 2 May. This is all about our quality of life.”

Gordon Clark, Labour candidate for Eastleigh South on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 26 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Joshua Constable, Labour candidate for Eastleigh Central on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following message:

“I’d like to thank ADD for posting these statements once again. The rise of ADD as a local organisation is testament to the growing appetite for change within Eastleigh and the determination of local people to see that change brought about.

Eastleigh Labour has always objected to the soundness and effectiveness of the Liberal Democrats’ Local Plan. It is a plan that fails to deliver for local people, provide for the local community or protect the local environment.

I stood in Eastleigh Central last year, coming in a close second behind the Lib Dems. Since last year’s local elections, I have been campaigning locally and nationally to find out what local people want, and how best to deliver for them the changes that can solve the issues facing Eastleigh.

In October I gave the Labour Party statement to the Borough Council, (you can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/JConstable4Eastleigh/videos/1031260827054454/) objecting in the strongest terms to the continued disregard to the views of Eastleigh residents. The Local Plan is everyone’s problem, no matter where in the borough they live. The traffic congestion, air pollution, threat to local wildlife, failure to provide affordable housing and strain on public services will affect everyone.

I am committed to protecting our environment first and foremost. But we also need to look at overhauling how we approach local government. It needs to involve people directly and explore new ways of providing for local people. From this, to restoring our policing here in Hampshire to undoing the damaging cuts of the Conservatives, Labour’s manifesto promises to offer much to Eastleigh.

If you would like to find out more I encourage you to get in touch with me. I want to hear from as many people as possible and am more than happy to go though my position in more detail. Contact me on: Email – [email protected]; Facebook – @JConstable4Eastleigh; Twitter – @JoshuaConstabl6; Phone – 02380 613357″

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

ADD UPDATE, 25 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Hannah Williams, Liberal Democrat candidate for Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery on Winchester City Council, has sent us the following message:

“I am a local campaigner who believes that development needs to be in the right place and work for the people it serves.  As the chair of planning on Otterbourne Parish Council I have worked closely with Save Otterbourne to defend my village against inappropriate development.  

The proposed Eastleigh Local Plan development will impact on all the surrounding villages so I have worked with ADD in my capacity as a parish councillor, attending and organising meetings locally so that local people have a chance to hear about the Eastleigh development first hand.  I have also helped with delivering ADD leaflets and worked on the Parish Council objections with other councillors. I, like many residents locally, objected to the Plan. My main objections concern the impact of the Plan on the countryside, the Itchen and its wildlife; the inadequacy of the road infrastructure and the extra traffic generated through our villages. Existing levels of traffic cause problems through all the villages north of the site at busy times but more so when the M3 has to be diverted. The Plan doesn’t make provision for building the new road before any development or show firm plans for enlarging Allbrook Bridge to accommodate large vehicles.

We need to protect our woodlands particularly ancient ones. I was a founding trustee of SOCCT (Sparrowgrove Oakwood Copse Conservation Trust), am its current chair and worked as a key fundraiser to ensure that we raised the £80,000 needed to protect it forever.

Last year I founded Plastic Free Winchester, working with numerous environmental groups in the city, attending environmental forums and speaking in 14 schools both primary and secondary about the environment and how we as individuals can protected it and work together for the common good.

My record shows that I take action where needed and if I am elected as a Winchester City councillor I will work with the council to put forward local views about the Local Plan and, if it is approved by the inspector, will work hard to mitigate all the impacts.”

Hannah Williams, Liberal Democrat candidate for Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery on Winchester City Council,

ADD UPDATE, 25 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Daniel Newcombe, Conservative candidate for Chander’s Ford on Eastleigh Borough Council, has sent us the following message:

“One of the reasons I got into local politics was to fight the ever-increasing amount of traffic on Chandler’s Ford’s roads. It affects our local communities’ lives in many ways, whether it’s sitting in queues of traffic to get to work each morning, having to cross busy dangerous roads to take our children to school, or simply by breathing in polluted air which is known to cause significant health issues. Due to its proximity to the M3, Chandler’s Ford has felt the brunt of developments to the West in recent years. So, after carefully reading all the evidence supporting Eastleigh’s draft Local Plan, I decided to strongly object to it and try to prevent further traffic chaos within our own borough before it happens.

The proposed development of at least 5,300 homes will actually include around 2,000 more houses than the borough needs, however this number is required by EBC to provide funding for a new link road that will funnel residents across much beautiful countryside and straight to Junction 12 of the M3, next to Chandler’s Ford. This ‘bypass’ is expected to create an extra 26,000 daily traffic movements heading straight towards our community. The Transport Assessment, which was commissioned by EBC, forecasts that the new developments will increase traffic delays by 6 % across the whole borough, however in Chandler’s Ford, due to this link road, traffic delays will increase by 40%! Despite the new developments being several miles away, Chandler’s Ford (including Hiltingbury) is forecast to be the second worst affected community in the entire borough.

The other important reasons I am against the Plan include:

• The SGO will be very close to highly important ecologically sensitive habitats, including the River Itchen, a world renown pristine chalk stream, and squeezed in between several ancient woodlands.
• The consultation process was far from adequate, especially for Chandler’s Ford residents. Key information was not available during the formal consultation. Missing information included a detailed assessment of the traffic impact at the M3 Junction 12 and local Air Quality Assessments.

Thank you for reading this and for the opportunity to share my views. Please vote for me on 2 May!”

Daniel Newcombe, Conservative candidate for Chander’s Ford on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 25 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Tracy Weeks, Green candidate for West End South on Eastleigh Borough Council has sent us the following message:

“I first became aware of the Local Plan when I attended the public consultation (in July 2017) at King’s Community Church, where I publicly raised my objections after hearing from an amazing collection of experts. This, and the meeting at the Hilton Ageas (in December 2017), left me wanting to vote Green (the only party that honestly and truly understands the importance of our green spaces), but there wasn’t anyone to vote for in my area – yet!

The Local Plan is ‘unsound’ and will create issues for the whole borough. I have lived in the Chartwell Green area of West End for over 14 years and the new housing development on Allington Lane is impacting our connection with the rest of the borough as well as the wildlife that already experiences ecological challenges.

It’s hard to believe that EBC still plans to build near ancient woodland, such pockets of land should be valued. The roads are so heavily congested around most of the borough; a lack of decent public transport means new home owners have no choice but to get in their cars to go anywhere. Adding more roads will only make congestion worse, not better!

There are empty buildings/houses that could be occupied with compulsory purchase orders and brownfield sites are not being used enough (not all sites clash with the airport flight path). Yet, greenfield sites are the prime choice as they are more profitable.

I’m not against the right houses in the right places using sustainable solutions. The Local Plan is a missed opportunity; there are some great, genuinely affordable, zero carbon homes that will harvest water as well as solar energy. We also desperately need a public transport system that is affordable, sustainable and works for everyone.

We mustn’t forget where the ‘demand’ for house building has come from, the current Conservative government who have also stripped local authorities of much-needed funding. Not that the Lib Dem response is right, it’s not – there is still a lack of required evidence! Also, is its Local Plan now out of date leading to the question, do we really need a 5,500-house mega-estate?”

Tracy Weeks, Green candidate for West End South on Eastleigh Borough Council

ADD UPDATE, 25 April 2019: Ahead of the local elections on Thursday 2 May, Action against Destructive Development (ADD) has invited each candidate standing for Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC), and each candidate standing for Winchester City Council, to supply us with up to 350 words on their views on EBC’s draft Local Plan and its progress. The same invitation was extended to candidates in the parish/town council elections in our area.

As you will be aware, EBC voted to include ‘options B and C’ in its Local Plan, namely proposals for around 5,500 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. This draft Plan will be examined by an independent planning inspector later this year.

As part of our virtual hustings, Andy Lai, Conservative candidate for Colden Common and Twyford on Winchester City Council has sent us the following message:

“I would like to make my opposition to the EBC’s Local Plan clear – it cannot be redeemed. I aim to provide a fresh perspective on this issue. I believe that, having served as a police officer for 33 years in both the urban metropolis of Hong Kong and the quiet countryside of Hampshire, I am uniquely qualified to furnish residents with a standpoint on overdevelopment.

City experience is invaluable in this scenario – one knows of the air pollution, constant background noise and the lack of wildlife within a country mile of the place. Building around 5,500 houses will not turn Eastleigh into a bustling megacity but, as a former resident of one, I can say that similar issues to the ones mentioned above will be introduced if the Plan goes through.

The design process for this Plan has been flawed from the start – major issues identified by expert bodies, such as transport and wildlife considerations, were simply ignored by the Lib Dem council, while problems like noise pollution during and after the construction period, along with the need for extra emergency services support were conspicuously missing from debates leading up to the vote. As a potential councillor for Colden Common and Twyford, I am especially conscious of these matters, as my ward is one of the major areas being affected by this Plan.

Supporters of this Plan may not have been dissuaded by my reasons so far, but what if we draw comparisons to other, similar, development plans in nearby areas? Take the Stoneham Park project for example: it promises 1,100 houses, supported by a nursery and school, as well as local stores. However, recent news suggests this project has been drastically slowed. It seems to me there is little demand or support for EBC’s far larger Plan.

Needless to say the EBC’s Plan will definitely have a negative impact the South Downs National Park nearby.

As a councillor, I will do what is necessary to wholeheartedly oppose the Plan. There is only one word suitable to describe it: preposterous.”

Andy Lai, Conservative candidate for Colden Common and Twyford on Winchester City Council