East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) are proposing to build a minimum of 1000 houses at Neatham Down, just outside of Alton – more likely 1,250 homes. This area is a huge tract (240 acres) of completely unspoilt farmland. It is an incredibly beautiful area, with rich biodiversity and much wildlife. 

1,200 houses will mean an estimated extra 3,000 people in Alton, with an extra 2,500 cars. The site is split off from Alton by the A31 and has no infrastructure at present. The EHDC plan says that people will walk / cycle into Alton from the site, but given that it is approximately 2 miles from the centre of town, this will not happen – people will drive. The roads in Alton are already gridlocked much of the time with relentless road closures and diversions. At present the B3004 is currently closed for 9 months to provide infrastructure for the Bordon housing developments. If the Neatham Down project goes ahead, development will be ongoing there over a further 10-15 years, which will mean continuing major disruption through that period. It is also highly likely that this site will be extended on an ongoing basis beyond this initial proposal and so construction, and destruction of beautiful countryside could well continue for decades.

Healthcare is Alton is already ridiculously oversubscribed – The Wilson Practice was 2,500 over numbers at the end of 2022, so with an extra 3000 people, getting a GPs appointment will be even more difficult than it currently is. Schools and dentists are full and there is a lack of employment to support an increase in population of this size. Put simply, Alton does not have the infrastructure to support this number of new homes – anywhere – let alone on this unspoilt, precious area of natural beauty. 

If you have had enough of the ongoing disruption to Alton of existing construction projects and lack of investment in infrastructure, then please sign this petition to send a clear message to EHDC. They need to push back against the numbers allocated to them and be clear that the people of Alton simply cannot be subjected to this relentless overdevelopment and disruption.

We seek to unite people in this aim and would say to those that are fighting their own battles about development in and around Alton (of which there are many) that supporting the Neatham development will not save your own site as these are separate plans which are not connected. We need to come together as a whole town to support each other in our campaigns and to clearly send the message that we say a clear NO TO ALL CONTINUING OVERDEVELOPMENT OF ALTON.

Please sign this petition now, and please share with all who may be affected. Thank you for your support.