Calls for Fareham council to reconsider local plan

A POLITICAL group has taken a stand against a plan for more than 3300 houses in a borough for fears over loss of green spaces.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jan 2018, 17:06 BST
Updated 7th Jan 2018, 21:23 BST

The Fareham Labour Party has objected the Draft Local Plan 2036 as a whole and want the council to place all new housing at Welborne.

Spokesperson for the group, Richard Ryan said: ‘The ruling Conservative Party’s incompetence in not progressing the Welborne development quickly enough means green open spaces in Fareham have been put at risk.

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‘In our submission to the Draft Local Plan we have called for a reconsideration of the whole plan.’

The Draft Local Plan, which has also received backlash from residents, proposed 3300 extra homes for the area on top of 6000 at the Welborne garden village project.

Richard added: ‘We consider this would be detrimental to living standards within the Borough.

‘We want to see the Welborne plan brought forward to be able to stop the destruction of many green spaces and strategic gaps in our urban areas.

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‘We believe that this plan goes against the accepted concept that any major new housing development should be within the Welborne New Town.’

Many others also believe the Welborne village has not protected as many green spaces as previously thought due to the village scheme running late.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Shaun Cunningham previously said: ‘Welborne was supposed to have been our good shepherd.

‘All we hear are excuses after excuses for the mishandling of the project.’

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Portchester and Warsash are receiving the majority of the houses with 700 and 800 homes respectively.

On behalf of Portchester residents at a meeting to discuss the local plan. Jo Pearce said: ‘We believe more houses should be put in Burridge and Welborne to relieve pressure on Portchester.’

However Fareham resident, Sally Brown said: ‘‘I think residents wrongly assumed that 6000 homes at Welborne would mean no other houses being built.’

The draft local plan consultation received thousands of comments during the public consultation at the end of last year.

Richard added: ‘Without a new look at the Draft Plan many greenfield sites in the Borough will be lost for ever.

Related topics:Fareham