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| Green Field or Party Political Football? |
Predictably local Lib Dems, including cabinet members Cllrs Keith House and Louise Bloom have jumped at the chance to concrete over the last remaining area of agricultural land in Hedge End. At Thursday's cabinet meeting the Lib Dems were unanimous in adopting a strategy that puts 800 more houses in Hedge End.
What is worse, the Lib Dems got their numbers wrong in the first version of the local plan, and they now need to build over a thousand more houses in Fair Oak and Horton Heath.
Perhaps the least edifying aspect of the cabinet meeting was the party political spat between Cllr House and Cllr Olson, the leader of the Chandlers Ford and Hiltingbury Tories, over whether the county council u-turn is the first or second time they have flip flopped on this.
Meanwhile there was hardly any debate about the merits of alternative locations, such as the eyesore car boot sale land near Windhover Roundabout. This land is of little environmental value, is not used for agricultural purposes, and is right on the doorstep of the employment possibilities in Southampton. And existing bus routes go right past it. How is that less sustainable than Woodhouse Lane?
Having read the minutes of the meeting for Greta Park parking - this was suggested as an occasional car park not permanent.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the depressing decision of the Lib Dems to concrete the last green space of Hedge End throws up a lot of issues. The roads are already grid locked; people are being quoted a six week wait to get a doctor's apopointment; amenties are under pressure. How are these going to be addressed? Are the Lib Dems coming up with any answers to these questions or will they conduct a cynical exercise in asking the public what they would like and then actively ignoring the answers (as in the past)? Are Hedge End Town Councillors actually doing anything to represent the views of residents who do not want this? Jane Welsh, Derek Pretty, Louise Bloom and her daughter Caitlin (who lives in Leicester), Dan Clarke (who doesn't live in Hedge End) along with Bruce whatisname have voted for this diastrous further development of Hedge End. Where is their loyality - oh, I forgot, it's bought with their allowances.
DON'T VOTE LIB DEM!
Wait a minute...aren't we back up to the original housing numbers in the SDA that EBC 'abolished' in 2010?
ReplyDeleteThe thing is Ray, wherever you put the houses it raises the question what happens to the old land use. If we destroy agricultural land we end up having to import more food. Bad for the environment and bad for the economy.
ReplyDeleteDoes that include the houses being built in other council areas that will be generating traffic through Hedge End to get to the motorway?
ReplyDeleteI'm sickened by the whole lot of them. Why don't we just accept that They clearly have no commitment whatsoever to preserving our countryside, our first-class agricultural land or our village communities.
ReplyDeletePublic opinion counts for nowt. Demos and protests are simply ignored. 'Public consultation' is just an expensive, meaningless gesture to democracy. Chuck in the towel, folks, lie back and watch the concrete pour over what is left of our beloved Hampshire.
Too right. They'll be building houses on allotments next.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I can gather (and it might not be correct), Mr House put HCC under a lot of pressure including the threat of legal action if HCC did not agree to allow Woodhouse lane to be developed. He comes across as a bully who will no allow anyone to stand in the way of HIS objectives. :-(
ReplyDeleteThey'll be erecting fences next to keep us Plebs in our housing estates away from those with their own estates in the Meon Valley; seems to me Eastleigh has quite enough people (too many judging by the congested roads, overcrowded schools and lengthy gp queues! Or does Keith House get a commission on housing/ people per km?
ReplyDelete