Hedge End Labour Party (re)launches consultation on old Budgens Car Park site

Labour's campaign team has just finished delivering our leaflet for the Hedge End South by election.

In response we have received email comments from voters. I thought my reply to one in particular might be of interest to a wider audience:

"Old Budgens site

The temporary car park on the old Budgens site is clearly well used and popular. However, it is a temporary arrangement, and the ruling Lib Dems want to do “something” on the site. Although they are keeping their plans secret at the moment, I understand they have told existing businesses on the site they should be ready to move in the next year or so.

My choice would be to retain the old supermarket car park with some additional planting on the boundaries to screen neighbouring properties and Greta Park. The old supermarket building footprint could then be used for a small mall with retail units on the ground floor and offices on the first floor to provide affordable space for small local businesses, start-ups and charities.

Consultation

However, I am serious about consulting with local people about what they want. In fact the local Labour Party already has an email – ConsultHedgeEnd@gmail.com – ready to receive people’s views on a variety of local issues.

HGVs going through Hedge End

The preferred route for HGVs going from Botley to the M27 is already via the A334 Grange Road and there is a brown sign on the Maypole Roundabout to this effect which is currently ignored. We are requesting improved signage at both ends of Lower / Upper Northam Road and some kind of enforcement as requests for voluntary compliance have fallen on deaf ears."

Looking back, it is six years since the ruling Lib Dems demolished the old supermarket building, and four years since they bought the properties on the edge of the supermarket site.

It does make it look like Hedge End is not a priority for the Lib Dems. Even though the Budgens site is in the top five "worst performing assets" on the council's books:

Eastleigh News - Council Asset Deficit Audit Warning

It is also four years since we kicked off a consultation about what voters want to see done in the centre of Hedge End. Perhaps the publicity around the current by election will encourage even more people to respond to ConsultHedgeEnd@gmail.com

My blog from 2021