Velmore Plans withdrawn!

I've been on holiday for the past week, walking in the Austrian Tyrol and just returned today. My wife Kate and I are celebrating 25 years of wonderfully happy marriage! Our actual Silver anniversary is in the summer but we expect to be leading a comp of English and Austrian young people at the time, which won't enable us to have a romantic time together!

I am delighted to hear the news from Godfrey Olson and others. The full text of the original email reads.

Dear Member
I have this morning received a letter from the First
Wessex Housing Group withdrawing all 7 of their planning applications for the redevelopment of Velmore estate. This is to enable them "to embark opon new consultation and full engagement with the local community." They say that "once we have concluded this process incorporating their needs, we will be resubmitting a revised scheme for the estate".

Colin Peters.
Head of Development Control

Let us hope that next time those of us who care about the community can have a full imput into the planning process.

What Atlantic Housing don't want you to know

In January the Conservatives prepared the newsletter shown in the photo for you. We had applied for permission from Eastleigh Borough Council (EBC) to publish the two drawings on 24th December 2006. From December until early March we were passed back and forward between Atlantic Housing (AHA) and EBC until eventually AHA refused us permission to print because they said our prints did not do their designs justice. We wanted everyone to know what the plans look like. Atlantic Housing don’t.

What is wrong with the plan?
• It fails to take into account the needs and desires of local residents.
• It does not offer existing bungalow dwellers a chance to continue living on the estate in a bungalow.
• It seeks to move people (such as 94 year old Dorothy Bell) from their homes.
• Overdevelopment. In Kent Road 6 bungalows will be demolished and 32 two bedroom flats will be constructed.
• Lack of car parking facilities. In Westfield Crescent there are plans for 24 new dwellings but only 18 car parking places, including 8 for registered disabled. Where will the remainder of cars be parked and where will visitors park?
• More parking problems. The bungalows on Belmont road will be demolished and be replaced by houses. Car parking places will be behind the houses on the service roads. These will not be used much as homeowners and visitors park on the road. So there is likely to be double parking on Belmont road, which is already heavily used at rush hours.
• Worsening traffic flow around the borough.
• Overloading of Eastleigh’s Sewers.

What the Conservatives propose
• Preparation of an overall plan for the estate in phases over 7-10 years.
• No-one over 75 should be expected to move unless they wish.
• Start with an area where most properties are vacant building 2 bedroom bungalows. These would be offered exclusively to existing bungalow dwellers who are prepared to move.
• Slowly replace all the bungalows with new 2 bedroom bungalows.
• Build some bungalows with small private back gardens and some with communal gardens. Build bungalows around courtyards with central parking to maintain a sense of community.
• Build at least as many bungalows as are currently on the estate. Only then consider building houses or flats.
• If demand is proven, build sheltered housing similar to Surrey Court.
• Provide abundant off road parking in front of the houses, not behind.
• All social facilities to be provided by AHA as development takes place.
• Improve the sewage system and the road system before these or any more house are built in Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh.

Velmore bungalows – what happens next?
Liberal democrats know that passing the 7 Atlantic housing applications just before an election is a vote looser. So they have postponed the April meeting for a report from Age Concern until after the elections on Tuesday May 15th when a determination will be.
What is the Local Area Committee? It is the group of elected councillors from the town of Eastleigh. At present there are the 10 elected councillors for the town of Eastleigh; 7 Liberal democrats, 2 Labour and 1 Independent. But the constitution of that committee could be changed by your vote in the elections on May 3rd.
Is there any way to stop these crazy plans? Yes!
1. Get rid of Liberal Democrat Councillors and replace them with councillors like Robert Quane (Con, Eastleigh Central) and Andrew Ross who will say “NO.” Your vote is important. Please stop these dreadful things happening to our town. Vote Conservative.
2. Attend the meeting in the Committee room, Borough Offices, Leigh Road at 7 pm on Tuesday May 15th.

It's time for a change!

We have now had 12 years of incompetent government by the Liberal Democrats in Eastleigh.

They are building everywhere they can. This raises income from developers contributions to the council (e.g. £250.000 for the Pirelli’s site) and by bigger receipts in Council tax.

But little has been done to improve the state of the roads, to provide more parking and to improve the sewers. Look at the current plans for South Eastleigh!

What will be the consequences of all this development for the people of Eastleigh?

Elderly asked to move out

“Atlantic Housing Limited are pestering us to move out of our bungalows“ according to Dorothy Bell of Kent Road.

Dorothy is a sprightly 94 years young and has lived on the Velmore Estate for 42 years, twelve of them in Kent Road. But, both she and her neighbour have had several phone calls from the ominously named Resettlement Officer for Velmore.

Dorothy told us that the Resettlement Officer “phones now and again and keeps on about getting us out of the bungalows. She tries to get people to go to meetings. My neighbour is being pestered too. People who live in other parts of Eastleigh are worried sick that they will be the next.”

We understand that around 25 of the 123 bungalows have become vacant and will not receive new tenants as Atlantic Housing Limited awaits a determination on May 12th on whether they can demolish 123 bungalows and build 120 flats, 78 houses and just 37 two bedroomed bungalows.

Andrew Ross is the Conservative candidate for Eastleigh South. With your help on May 3rd he will begin a long tenure as your councillor and, amongst many important issues to be addressed, will work hard to effect a sensible housing policy within a coherent local plan.

Keith House refuses to listen to the people of Eastleigh

A couple of years ago 13 000 people in Eastleigh signed a petition opposing the taking away of allotments in Woodside and South Street from the people for more housing development. Since then we have been fighting the council and at times the Government over the land.

I have two allotments in Burns Close and I fear that they will soon be under attack from Councillors eager to sell off council land for further development. So I am supporting the fight to retain South Street and Woodside Allotments.

The following is an extract from Cllr. House’s budget speech to Full Council on Monday evening, 26 February 2007. Keith House is leader of the Liberal Democrats in Eastleigh Borough.
The full speech is available via a link on EBC’s home page: http://www.eastleigh.gov.uk/

Cllr. House said:

It has been a year of success for our communities.
But to be candid it has been a frustrating year too.
At the Swan Centre, a stack of legal and tender delays have held up our new cinema and bowling leisure scheme, such that work has still not yet started though the signs are still that it will before the spring is out.

And north of Lakeside, the Council’s proposal for new housing and a wide range of highway and leisure improvements cleared its final approvals from government, only to be immersed in a legal challenge to the Secretary of State’s decision that has still to finally be resolved. Justice moves slowly, not helped by the small number of people who are delaying the provision of major benefits for the town.

As I said last year:
“With consent for 432 new homes, of which 149 will be affordable rented, shared ownership and keyworker homes, we can make real progress in meeting housing need. Secondly, we will create, through high quality design, a clear and definable urban edge to the south of the town. And thirdly we will achieve investment in new walkways through housing areas to the Country Park, improvements to the Country Park itself, new play areas and cycle routes in the south of town, and a fund to stimulate urban regeneration in the town centre.”

There is a lot at stake.

It is everyone’s right to use the courts to further their own cause. And I acknowledge that this package has been controversial with some. But I really do wonder how a small number of people can sleep easily in their beds, knowing they are denying beds to those in greater need than themselves.

So yes, it has been a successful if a frustrating year.”

Tony Murrills, Secretary of Eastleigh Allotments Association says

Contrary to the impression given by Cllr. House, the principles being fought for by the allotments community are of great importance and the outcome of this case could seriously affect hundreds of thousands of allotment holders throughout the Country. It is a fundamental matter of upholding the law, not, as suggested, just a few difficult plot-holders holding up the Council's plans.

What do you think? Should our council be allowed to flout the law and build wherever they like? Or should existing residents have any say about what happens in their town? Post your comments below.

Bungalows: the people have spoken

In a packed meeting of over 100 people at Velmore Chapel, organised by the Residents Association, the people of Velmore gave a resounding “NO” to the plans of Atlantic Housing Association.

AHA wish to demolish all 123 bungalows on the estate and build 120 flats, 78 houses and just 37 two bedroom bungalows. Where do they expect bungalow dwellers to go? Into flats like the ones shown on this page? We support the Residents Association in their endeavours to stop these plans and say “Think again, AHA.”

Bungalows give more domestic contentment than any other type of home, more than penthouse flats and even country mansions in the nation’s affections, according to a survey by Halifax.
Atlantic Housing is a “not for profit” company who should be seeking the wellbeing of residents and the whole community, not making money out of cramming as many homes into the area as possible.


What is our council doing to Eastleigh?

Local Liberal democrat councillors may say it is a disgrace to rip the heart out of Velmore in newsletters. Yet some of these councillors will sit on the very local area committee that will consider and eventually determine these applications.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s Liberal Democrats hold 34 out of 44 seats on the council. They are committed to granting planning permission for between 615 and 720 houses on brownfield sites in the Borough this year, next year and right up to 2011 and then building similar numbers of dwellings on greenfield sites.


What is wrong with the plan?

• It fails to take into account the needs and desires of local residents.


• It does not offer existing bungalow dwellers a chance to continue living on the estate in a bungalow.


• It seeks to move people (such as a blind 94 year old) from their homes.


• Overdevelopment. In Kent Road 6 bungalows will be demolished and 32 two bedroom flats will be constructed.


• Lack of car parking facilities. In Westfield Crescent there are plans for 24 new dwellings but only 18 car parking places, including 8 for registered disabled. Where will the remainder of cars be parked and where will visitors park?


• More parking problems. The bungalows on Belmont Road will be demolished and be replaced by houses. Car parking places will be behind thehouses on the service roads. Experience elsewhere in the Borough suggeststhat they are often not used as home owners and visitors park on the road. So there is likely to be double parking on Belmont road, which is already heavily used at rush hours.


• Worsening traffic flow around the borough at rush hour. Firms are moving out of Eastleigh because it can take an hour to travel a couple of miles.


• Overloading of Eastleigh’s Sewers. In the Autumn of 2006 the Eastleigh sewers overflowed 3 times in certain roads discharging untreated sewage into the road. With another 120 dwellings coming on stream the situation is likely to get worse.

What the Conservatives propose

• Preparation of an overall plan for the estate.


• A phased development over 7-10 years.


• No-one over 75 should be expected to move unless they wish.


• Start with an area where most properties are vacant building 2 bedroom bungalows. Tese would be offered exclusively to existing bungalow dwellers who are prepared to move.


• Slowly replace all the bungalows with new bungalows. Make most two bedroom.


• Build some bungalows with small private back gardens and some with communal gardens. Build bungalows around courtyards with central parking to maintain a sense of community.


• Build at least as many bungalows as are currently on the estate. Only then consider building houses or flats.


• If demand is proven, sheltered housing similar to Surrey Court should be built.


• Provide abundant off road parking in front of the houses, not behind.


• All social facilities to be provided by AHA as the redevelopment takes place.


• Improve the sewage system and the road system before these or any more house are built in Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh.

Government gives Southampton a green light to take over Eastleigh Borough

The Government has given the go ahead to unitary authorities such as Southampton to submit plans to expand their boundaries in a new blueprint for the reorganisation of Local Government.
Eastleigh Conservatives are totally opposed to plans to submerge Eastleigh Borough into a greater Southampton.

We believe that the Borough should continue as an autonomous self governing body.
It should continue to set its own Council taxes and its own priorities for service delivery.

Background:

In “An Invitation to Councils in England” the Government says:
“Any proposal [for expansion of a Unitary Council] must relate to the area of the
Council, or each of the Councils, submitting it. The area covered by a proposal may, in addition to the area of the Council or Councils submitting the proposals, also include adjoining areas which are currently outside that of the submitting Council or Councils.”

Government White Paper “Strong and Prosperous Communities” 26th October 2006

I do not want our Borough to lose its identity and watch as our town and villages become joined up suburbs of Southampton.

I lived on the Wirral when Liverpool took over the area and bled the people of their taxes in order to pursue their own agenda in the city.

While our own Councillors are not angels, it is much better if we can hold Eastleigh Councillors directly accountable for what they do here.

Eastleigh Borough Council are currently supposed to be considering the matter. But have your views been taken into account?

Do we want Southampton to take over the running of

• Our Social Services which are currently rated as Excellent by the Auditors


• Our Health Service Primary Care Trust which has just merged with the rest of Hampshire


• Our Schools and Colleges which are achieving some of the best results in the Country


• Our Highways Services also rated Excellent

Do we want to join a failing debt ridden authority which is already cutting vital services to balance its books?
We all know what will happen to much of our council tax – it will go to Southampton.

We have two months. Act now!

Speak up now and say NO to any merger of Eastleigh with Southampton

Victory in the Battle of Grantham Green!

Local residents are celebrating the defeat of Lib Dem plans to build flats on Grantham Green which they denied existed in the May 2006 election. A packed meeting of the Local Area committee on 19th September saw the Lib Dems cave in to public pressure.

A public consultation will now follow to decide how the green can be improved with the need for housing development. Robert Quane, Eastleigh Central Conservative spokesman led the campaign which was supported by hundreds of local people.

Sadly, already £20,000 of developers contributions towards the green have been frittered away by the Borough Council in “consultations” and £13,000 on upgrading the children’s play area.

When Velmore’s Cox Road playing field was allocated over £50,000 for “redevelopment” many people were consulted, but in the end a few children’s playground rides, a teenage shelter and one set of football post were all the council managed to come up with for the money.

Eastleigh Lib Dems call for massive house building in the borough

The Partnership of Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) has recently published its recommendations for the number of houses to be built in the Solent Area over the next 20 years.

Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Lib Dems, is a member of PUSH which is recommending that 4,000 houses are to be built every year in the Solent area with between 615 and 720 new houses in Eastleigh borough every year. The current building rate in Eastleigh Borough is under 500 per year. These options are higher than for Winchester (390-580).

Conservatives are opposed to a Strategic Development Area in the Borough that leads to the high number of houses allocated to Eastleigh. The Conservative advice is to reject the proposed ‘new town’ and identify just sufficient land for housing to satisfy our own local needs.

We say that our roads are already full of cars during the rush hour. Every time we experience heavy rain certain roads in South Eastleigh are flooded with sewage from a system which is unable to cope with the runoff and effluent from all the houses in the Eastleigh and Chandlers Ford area. We feel that these issues urgently need to be addressed before any more houses are added to an already creaking infrastructure.

Allotments Association still fighting the Borough Council and Government

Eastleigh Allotment Association is now in their 4th year of a campaign to save three allotment sites threatened by housing development. In December 2002, Lib Dems in Eastleigh Borough Council announced plans to allocate the allotments in South Street, Monks Way and Woodside Avenue as sites for new homes. These proposals appeared in the Local Plan Review, which went to Public Inquiry in 2004. Supported by hundreds of allotment holders and 14,000 local residents, the Association presented evidence to the inquiry in opposition to these controversial housing proposals.

In July 2006 The Government Offices for the South East (GOSE) announced that the Secretary of State’s decision was to grant consent for the disposal of South Street and Monks Way allotments for the building of 435 new homes. An affected plot holder has recently applied for a Judicial review of the decision.

Despite a large waiting list of people wishing to cultivate an allotment, the Council refuses to let vacant plots at South Street, Monks Way and Woodside Avenue allotments.