SOLVE – Meeting 6th November
Report by Peter Bloyce, pictures by Tony Tuck.
Thanks
to everyone for the continued support particularly those who attended the
meeting of over 250 at Old Basing Village hall on 6th November to discuss the
‘Community Engagement’ on future housing in the Borough. There to answer
questions were Maria Miller MP, Cllr Rob Golding (Council Cabinet Planning
Portfolio Holder) and local Borough Councillors Onnalee Cubitt, Sven Godeson,
Stephen Marks and Martin Biermann. Clive Pinder from SOLVE gave a short
presentation of the current and past work of SOLVE and then opened up a
‘Question Time’ style discussion.
In answer to the first question – Whether the Council will take full account of
the community engagement Maria Miller said things have changed and the law now
gives greater powers and control over housing decisions to local people. Cllr
Golding agreed but said the council planners are still working within the old
rules.
It was accepted that the current infrastructure (transport, hospitals, schools) is inadequate and changes must be in place before new housing is agreed. However, money for this is unlikely to become available for some time. Cllr Golding quoted the Council leaflet ‘What happens next?” - The ‘core strategy’ must be tested by an independent inspector at a public inquiry who would have to be convinced that infrastructure is available to support new development.
There was general agreement that the number of houses to be built in the Borough
should be reduced. On average the Borough has built over 1,300 houses a
year in the last 3 years - way above target. We have the fastest house
building rate in the UK.
Currently the Borough’s annual birth rate exceeds the death rate by 900 which gives a local need of 350 houses per year. However, latest Office of National Statistics figures show life expectation dropping over the next 5 years.
When pressed, most councillors agreed that they would like to see the housing
target reduced to around 350 pa. Cllr Godeson said we should build for
local people not commuters and 350 is not an unreasonable figure. Cllrs Beirmann
and Marks thought that realistically we may have to defend 740 the current
target. It was accepted that keeping house building figures in the Borough
low would protect Greenfield sites. Cllr Golding said Conservative policy
was to oppose building on Greenfield sites unless absolutely necessary.
Why was the Manydown land in the west, specifically bought by the Council for development purposes, given a lower priority? Cllr Biermann was scathing with his views believing that Manydown housing development was “politically inconvenient” for many Conservatives on the Council. Maria Miller was met with applause when she said an East verses West fight was not the answer and the case for building on Greenfield sites had been blatantly inflated. We should protect all these sites.
One questioner reminded everyone of the ‘Council Vision’ and its emphasis on “enriching the countryside”.
There were questions about water quality and supply and Cllr Cubitt said this
was already a major problem in the Borough pointing out the already high
phosphate and oestrogen levels in the Loddon.
At the end of the meeting all Councillors urged residents to take part in the
consultation and complete the questionnaire. They also asked everyone to
look to their own community where there may be potential for small developments.
At the end of the meeting all Councillors urged residents to take part in the consultation and complete the questionnaire. They also asked everyone to consider the potential for small developments in their own community/villages.
Responses to the ‘Community Engagement’ should be in by 14th January. Go to the Council website to respond www.basingstoke.gov.uk/go/newhomes.
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