Town Council "No Objection" to Care Home in Woodhouse Lane

Proposed site for care home looking towards Woodhouse Lane

All Hedge End planning applications are referred to the Town Council for comment before the Borough Council makes a decision to permit or refuse the application. This month the Town Council returned a "No Objection" to an application to build a three storey, 70 bed care home in Woodhouse Lane. Councillors did raise concerns about the 32 proposed parking spaces. This is understandable as any overflow parking is likely to end up in the Town Council's own car park serving the nearby bowling green and tennis courts. The council already has a problem with parking from the Botleigh Grange Business Park spreading into the leisure park.

It is sad to see another patch of green disappear, but there is going to be a need for more and more facilities for older people as the population ages. It is not that long since the Lib Dems refused permission for a residential home in West End. As they seem determined to have all the fields off Woodhouse Lane developed, this one might fit in better with their master plan for the area.

The Woodhouse Lane home is expected to bring 60 jobs to Hedge End - admittedly not terribly well paid ones. The current footpath across the field will be re-routed. The developer has committed to retaining most of the existing trees on the site. I just hope somebody told them the Lib Dems plan to make Woodhouse Lane the "Botley by-pass" with traffic from hundreds of new houses at Boorley Green racing past to get to the M27.

Other committees this month resolved to:

Carry out a survey to determine how many people use the public toilets in Lower Northam Road.

Obtain quotations to refurbish the Grade II listed old school building currently occupied by HEYCA.

Agree the use of the usual Town Council recreation grounds for the carnival (26 June to 5 July) and fun fair with fireworks (12 November).

Modernise, refurbish and extend the children's play area in Greta Park.