One Thousand Houses

1000 houses? Really?

That was a figure mentioned at the Whitchurch Town Assembly.
Of course that's not the total for Whitchurch, but sites adding up to around that number have been identified as having potential for development.
The figure highlights just how important planning decisions are to the town's future.

So which sites would be best, and how many houses?
Currently the Neighbourhood Plan team are identifying the most appropriate sites for the town's needs – which have been agreed as 350 houses over the next 15 years.
Locations for 200 of these are to be selected through the Neighbourhood Plan process, but where should they go?

Risk of large scale developments
Until the sites are decided and accepted by local people by referendum, the town is at risk of large scale planning applications by speculative housing developers. They are already starting to line up at the doors of the planning offices – bulldozers and cement mixers are being prepared.

Where could they be built?
Could houses go at Winchester Road at Webbs Farm with maybe a distributor road reaching across to Micheldever Road?
Could the Bloswood Lane allotment site be extended fully north to the railway with perhaps access via Ardglen or upper Evingar?
Could all the land between the Cemetery and Bloswood Lane behind Park View be built on?
Might Station Road become a major access point, or maybe the old railway tunnel utilised?
Could the land north of Lynch Hill Park become a new area for homes or might the large multi-storey apartment development previously proposed for the Evingar Road Serendipity Sam's site be resurrected?
Maybe a new 'green' town between Whitchurch and the proposed windfarm?
It is a blank sheet - almost.
It is up to us to decide what goes on it.

Lots of options
Perhaps future plans could include a business park north of the railway station or an out-of-town supermarket complex near the A34. Maybe a new sports and leisure centre could be provided with new games facilities?
Ideas that are presently no more than a back of an envelope scribble could become reality or they may be consigned to the bin. Maybe that bypass from the A34 to the B3400 with a bridge over the River Test could again raise its head? Who knows?

Housing mix - we must get this right.
Of major concern is housing mix. More five bed homes? More single person flats? More 'starter' homes for young growing families? Of prime importance is that we cater for the people who live here - the young people who have been brought up here and want to stay and the elderly who don't want to be forced to leave.
'Affordable' housing is essential to the social development of Whitchurch and it needs to be planned in NOW. This is our chance to do so.

QUESTION: The options and ideas are almost endless, but who decides which are realistic and good for the future of Whitchurch?
ANSWER: It is the people of Whitchurch and that means 'getting involved'.

Realistic solutions
It is hoped the Neighbourhood Plan team will be able to present some realistic options towards the end of the summer, based on evidence they have been collating. The team have been working hard and more focus groups on specific subjects as well as further public consultaions are being planned.

So what do local people think? 
A tower block on the meadow or a car park on the Rec anyone?

Get in touch with the Neighbourhood Plan team through the Town Council.
This is setting out the whole future of the town.
It is in our hands.

John Buckley
Views are entirely my own.

Bus Cuts? Drop in sessions

Having recently attended some meetings on bus services, I made a report to Whitchurch Town Council.

Whilst it is unlikely that Whitchurch will 'suffer' cuts to our direct services (76/86) we do need to be vigilant, particularly with regard to the older person bus pass and the provision of timetabling information.
It was also very pleasing that the Town Council supported the idea I put forward to run some Drop-in sessions to help local people respond to Hampshire County Council's consultations on changes.

These will be on May 10th and 15th at the Town Hall.

For details see:
BUS SERVICE CONSULTATION DROP IN SESSIONS
________________________

REPORT ON TRANSPORT MATTERS
________________________

I have attended two Passenger Transport Meetings that were both focussing on the proposed cuts to support given to bus services by Hampshire County Council, although they prefer to call them 'savings'.

INTRODUCTION

HCC is aiming to reduce their support by £1.25 - £1.5 million and are going out to consultation with a number of options.
(Throughout Hampshire) Sunday services could be reduced or removed, evening buses stopped, older persons travel support reduced, and changes to community transport made.

The services affected in Whitchurch could be :

• the reduction/removal of support for the older persons bus pass pre-9.30am.
• other services in adjacent areas.
• changes in how timetables are presented.
• the Basingstoke Dial-a-Ride Community Transport Service.
  
  Note:
  The evening/weekend 76 is supported by Basingstoke and Deane so is not part of this exercise. However, this support may also be at risk (review believed to be next year).

Full details of HCC's exercise is here:
HCC CONSULTATION ON BUS SERVICES


REPORTS FROM THE MEETINGS:

SATURDAY 15th MARCH - HAMPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL MEETING

Held at the Castle specially for Parish representatives, this meeting was well-attended by around 60 people.
It started with a detailed presentation on 'Village Agents' - not an underground spy network, but a scheme of local volunteers, trained by HCC in some of the more rural communities. They give help to the more elderly section of the population on a whole range of activities from health to home safety. Some even run fitness classes in an aim to reduce demand on health services.

The link to transport cuts was tenuous and I think HCC made a mistake in using the limited time to promote this, however worthy it might be.

 There followed a presentation named 'New Buses, Record Passengers, Winning Awards'. It covered some major works HCC and bus operators are investing in, including nearly £3million spend on Andover Bus Station as well as other projects mainly in the south of the County.

HCC made much of the investment in improved bus comfort, installation of in-bus wifi and real-time travel information systems as well as the numerous awards HCC have won. This raised questions on whether so much time and finance should be spent on these expensive enhancements when services were being cut.

One delegate said "There will be rebellion in the villages".

My feeling of the meeting was that what is wanted are more and better services, although in many places any service at all would be an improvement.

The workshop parts of the meeting were cancelled due to lack of time - very disappointing.


WEDNESDAY 2nd APRIL - BASINGSTOKE AND DEANE MEETING

Attendance at this was around 40 and it covered similar ground to the HCC meeting, but without the Village Agents. Neither was much made of all the money being spent on 'projects' or awards won. Instead the focus was on the possible changes required to meet the reduced budget.

In my opinion this meeting was much better managed with all the options clearly explained and I learned a lot.

A very worthwhile group workshop session was held when constructive discussion on transport needs took place. Regarding Whitchurch I raised the special needs of rural areas, the requirements of shift workers and young people, how taxi-share services could work, combined train/bus ticketing, and the effects of cuts to the older persons pass, amongst other issues.


WHAT COMES NOW

Consultation now takes place until the end of May. This is for both individuals and organizations, and the Town Council should respond.

Local groups are urged to run local consultation events. The Town Council could, and I believe should, lead on this.


PROPOSAL (Note: the Town Council approved this, details at top)

I propose we actively encourage local responses to the Consultation by:

• 1. organise a public meeting in early May and as well as Whitchurch residents and groups, invite representatives from all local parishes to attend.
• 2. hold two daytime drop in sessions to encourage comment.
  
  (These could also possibly include references to the Neighbourhood Plan travel elements and the Sustainability Transport Forum.

These can be advertised widely and we can help people and organisations and enable the Town Council to respond meaningfully to the proposals.


*** We will need to fight and lobby hard to keep our services. ***