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Dear Petitioners!
Here is July's update and firstly an overview of what it contains:
- Brief analysis of EHDC publicity May/June
- Local Plan Consultation including the interactive map
- Meeting with EHDC – postponed until Local Plan timetable established
- Link up with SMASH – Stand with Medstead Against Speculative Housing
- Hampshire Local Transport Plan Consultation Response
- Extracts from EHDC’s Articles in the Alton Herald
- Link to Campaign article of 9th June
Our analysis of EHDC publicity May/June (see article extracts at the end of this update)
Since our last update in May, we had a front page article in the Alton Herald applauding the Council’s seeming determination to confront the Government and the South Downs National Park (SDNP). EHDC have had three articles published, and issued an email newsletter about the re-run of the previous Local Plan consultation ‘towards the end of 2022’.
What can we learn from EHDC publicity?
We hoped that after Cllr Millard’s speech on 19 May he would be challenging the Government and the SDNP soon... and indeed this objective continued in the article of 26 May, but in June’s articles the message has changed: EHDC now say that the Local Plan Consultation “will give the council’s planning team the evidence it needs to update policies and, where necessary, challenge the government’s proposals”.
Have EHDC met the government and/or the SDNP since his speech? This is not clear.
Chawton Park Farm
Meanwhile we do not want to see Chawton Park Farm included in the next Local Plan Consultation. If it is, we will be reiterating all the well known arguments against its inclusion in our response at that time.
Consultation Evidence
A possible interpretation of EHDC’s publicity is that the Consultation evidence is vital in their ‘challenges’ to the Government and the SDNP. We all have a part to play in this. The more responses to the consultation the bigger impact we will have.
The Campaign will be asking EHDC questions about the nature of the evidence and how/if we can help.
Local Plan Interactive Map
This is definitely worth a look. It shows all the potential development sites in and around Alton https://tinyurl.com/EHDCLAA The consultation is a re-set of the original consultation in 2019 – new studies/information.
Chawton Park Farm (CPF) is LAA/CHA-007. 1200 houses has been reduced to 855. If you double-click on any polygon an additional ‘search’ tab will be added to the table at the bottom, which lists suitability, and other criteria.
You can sign up for email updates on the progress of the Local Plan here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKEHDC/subscriber/new
Meeting with EHDC – points to cover
- Alternative Calculation of Housing Numbers Cllr Millard has said ‘EHDC will continue to explore alternatives to the standard method and further Regulation 18 consultation gives more scope to do so”. Our hope is that this would result in a reduction, so giving another reason for Chawton Park Farm not to be built on.
- SDNP taking “their fair share’ of housing (article 23 June)
- Conversations with the NHS re speaking out against increasing housing numbers without the provision of new facilities (article 1st June). Everyone will be aware of Bentley’s surgery closure with c1200 patients having to travel to the Wilson and Chawton Park Road practices. A recent ‘expansion grant’ application for the Alton practices has been rejected we understand.
You can sign up for email updates on the progress of the Local Plan here: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/UKEHDC/subscriber/new
SMASH - Stand with Medstead Against Speculative Housing
The Campaign met with some of SMASH’s leaders on 10th June. Both groups are against the A31 corridor turning into a conurbation –style ribbon development. We were interested to hear that Hampshire CC was against an employment site at the Northfield Lane/A32 roundabout junction (LAA/CHA-002 on the interactive map) and hope that their reasons will also apply to any housing development on Chawton Park Farm.
Hampshire Local Transport Plan Consultation Response
We have responded to this on the issue of light pollution from new developments – as this would severely affect the bats in the woodlands around Chawton Park Farm; and asked how much a District Council Local Planning Authority would be required to take account of the LPT4 (consultation) policies when agreeing Planning Applications for new developments – e.g. developments which rely on the car - as set out in their Guiding Principle 1 and the Carbon Management Hierarchy.
Extracts of EHDC Articles & Newsletter May/June
26th May – noted the 1200 extra houses EHDC has to build over the 15 yr plan period. Cllr Millard was quoted as saying “we will be challenging the government on the new housing numbers and talking to the national park about building more homes in the park.”
In his May letter to the Campaign Cllr Millard explained that the increase is due to the recent ONS affordability index data i.e. the higher house prices > the less affordable they are > the more we have to build – this particularly affects us because of the influence of the higher house prices inside the SDNP than outside.
1st June - echoed the concerns of all of us that no new surgeries or dentists are being planned alongside increased population numbers – “in a determined bid to understand why it is thought more houses can built without any new facilities, the council says it would like to meet senior NHS representatives.”
17th June - EHDC newsletter focused on the ‘government’s brutal housing targets’ describing them as ‘a rigid target’ ie. not a ‘housing need’ figure; criticised the government methodology as ‘deeply flawed’ being focused on a ‘misleading algorithm for what is needed without any real consideration of what is possible’ ... ‘based on district-wide data’ ie including the South Downs National Park (heavily constrained by its landscape designation) ‘for which it makes no concessions.’
It commented that ‘the new consultation’ will ‘give the council’s Planning Team the evidence it needs to update policies and, where necessary, challenge the Government’s proposals.’ And continued ‘Where we feel something is wrong and unfair we won’t hesitate to challenge it. And the results of this consultation will help us in those discussions with the government and the South Downs National Park.’
23rd June – housing numbers changed to ‘about 1000’ (was 1200)
Cllr Millard says: “We have made our case to Michael Gove, secretary of state for housing and communities, but he remains stubbornly insensitive to the unique position we in East Hampshire find ourselves.”
On the SDNP he says “It needs to change its current attitude to development and we will challenge them to take their fair share”
“But there are few areas that have the infrastructure and accessibility to absorb new developments and increased populations.”
Finally he says “And we will challenge the government on their numbers and the methodology used to get there.”
Campaign Article of 9th June
http://tinyurl.com/CPFpublicity
Thank you for your continued support for this campaign!