READER'S OPINION: We need Welborne

I must add the caveat that anyone losing a home or business because of forced relocation has my sympathy and must receive more than generous compensation.

But driving around areas of Hampshire and West Sussex millions of acres of space are available, admittedly not all suitable because of flood plains.

Taking a diverse route from Waterloo to Portsmouth by train via the outskirts of Fareham, Hedge End and Winchester revealed the same.

Despite the UK being small compared to France and Germany, there remains staggeringly wide open areas to add new towns – hopefully small. 


Why pack more homes into cities like Portsmouth when areas such as proposed Welborne are available?

The ‘green belt brigade’ have for too long influenced planners entailing more and more people stuffed into already overcrowded cities – and our councils appear hell-bent on doing this.

Time to cut their power and influence of the ‘Greenies’, there is more than enough countryside for everyone.

With a million plus net immigration into the UK in three years, that needs five cities the size of Portsmouth which won’t happen.

Or 150 small new towns the size of Welborne – yes 150 – to accommodate these numbers.

No doubt when anything new occurs in the UK, anything innovative, ground-breaking then ‘opposers’ will be thick on the ground.

Every night the ‘for and against’ experts are pontificating about major issues –specifically Brexit – all giving ‘equally expert’ views in direct contrast to each other.

We need homes but don’t need any more in this city.

Acres of glorious countryside for everyone – just get on with it and plan infrastructure from day one and implement it.

*This letter was submitted to The News by Jon Cole of Blount Road, Old Portsmouth