The Member of Parliament for Eastleigh, Mims Davies, has questioned the decision reached at a Full Council Meeting of Eastleigh Borough Council, in which it approved its Local Plan.
Commenting, Mims said:
“My constituents will find it difficult to feel that the decision reached this week is a positive move forward, and even less so for knowing that key decisions in relation to the Local Plan will be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of Eastleigh Borough Council. Under such arrangements local residents can be sure that their concerns will once again be pushed to one side. This is unacceptable.”
“I also share the concerns of local opposition Councillors who, on behalf of residents, raised very serious concerns over the missing evidence base for this Plan, including those relating to flooding, and the Council's incorrect view that all of the brownfield sites within the Borough have been used, leading to the development of green spaces- both issues that many of my constituents already write to me about.”
This latest move forward follows a letter written by the Communities Secretary to 15 local planning authorities, giving them until the 31st January 2018 to outline any exceptional circumstances which, in their view, justified their failure to produce a Local Plan under the Planning and Compulsory Purchase 2004 Act regime.
Commenting further, Mims said:
“It was unsurprising to see that after years of delays, Eastleigh Borough Council was included within those 15 local authorities. That letter recognised this Government’s commitment to ensuring that new homes are built in the right place, combined with the right infrastructure, and most importantly of all, that the development of future homes are community led.”
“Yet this muddled and rushed Local Plan does little to support that vision, and while I have campaigned long and hard on the real need for a Local Plan to bring an end to speculative development, it is just as important that our Local Plan is representative of the views of residents. Unfortunately, in this instance, this simply is not the case.”
Concerns were also raised on the evening by Councillors in relation to infrastructure and connectivity for the proposed developments.
She continued:
“Opposition Councillors rightly raised the fact that many of the people that live in our area commute in and for work, pointing to the gaps within this proposed Plan which will lead to the people that move into these homes being left without suitable connectivity to shops, the local community and necessary transport links.”
“This Council could and should do better and its duty to the community is to listen, learn and recognise this is a very poor Plan and a terrible outcome for the area.”
“Yesterday’s decision will also come as a disappointment to many of the groups that have campaigned so hard alongside residents to try and get the best possible Local Plan in place for our area, namely CPRE, ADD, the Woodland Trust, Eastleigh and adjacent Parish & City Councils, as well as sports and youth groups who were all represented yesterday evening.”
“I hope that Eastleigh Borough Councillors did listen closely to all of the views that were shared yesterday evening, and that as a result, they might consider changing the stubborn course upon which they have been sailing.”