Councillors eye more development land in Winchester (From Hampshire Chronicle)
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Councillors eye more development land in Winchester
4:47pm Wednesday 3rd October 2012 in News By Wesley Rock
Ian Tait: at Dyson Drive, Abbotts Barton
ANYONE living near city council-owned land in Winchester should expect to see councillors there eyeing it for new homes.
That was the message sent out by Tory housing boss Ian Tait.
He said: “Perhaps I should say to every resident in Winchester: if you live near council land you should be expecting councillors to be there making appraisals.”
Cllr Tait, the portfolio holder for new homes delivery told the full council meeting that the cabinet are pushing ahead with plans for 70 new council homes across the district.
He revealed that plans had been submitted for five family homes at Itchen Abbas and that if permission were granted, work could begin as early as February 2013.
Cllr Tait also confirmed that work on homes at Dever Close in Micheldever would be begin on October 22, and that plans for new homes on Bourne Close, Otterbourne had now been submitted.
But Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Tod said he was unhappy at the way the programme was being communicated to the public.
“Does Ian Tait agree that residents are right to be angry about this?” Cllr Tod said.
Cllr Tait responded that the development strategy and the scheme approval and communication progress demonstrated his commitment to transparency.
It also merged during the council meeting that community consultation with residents at Abbotts Barton is due to begin in early October. The Hampshire Chronicle reported earlier in the month how angry residents there had formed an action group in response to the plans, including several homes on Dyson Drive.
The plans are all part of the council’s New Homes Delivery Programme, which aims to increase affordable housing in Winchester, with a target of 300 new homes over 10 years.
Comments(5)
skeptik
says...
8:23am Sun 7 Oct 12
iantait
says...
9:10am Sun 7 Oct 12
Quite what wichres means by "so called" needy maybe they ought to spend a day with a Council Housing Allocations Officer to find out. Not everyone in Winchester is quite so fortunate as wichres to be able to buy their own home although if winchres does want to sell I am guessing there are many people who will be happy to live here.
winchres
says...
9:56am Sun 7 Oct 12
iantait wrote:Before you start suggesting I know nothing about the Council's housing register you may wish to consider that people who comment may know far more than you think about it! And as for being fortunate to buy my own home in Winchester, I started in a grubby bit of Southampton with a 1 bedroom flat, with a husband both on low paid public sector jobs. I cut out everything to afford that home, no washing machine, 1 tatty car, no holiday, no home 'phone, let alone a mobile no kids and no heating, do I need to go on. The day I see others do that I will have a bit more sympathy. Look on rightmove.co.uk, there are plenty of affordable homes, maybe not 3 bedroom houses in the once leafy lanes of Winchester. Get real, live within your means and don't expect the state to bail you out. I would like to drive around in a Rolls Royce but I can't afford to buy it or maintain it so drive a Smart car. That will be the end of my conversation with you Mr Tait.
Like skeptik I remember Badger Farm being built and was horrified when it started yet I subsequently spent 7 very happy years living there so I had to eat my words. As for winchres, well we have sold about 8 homes (0.15% of the stock) under the right to buy in the last few years so I don't think they need to worry unduly and with a maximum discount of £75k that won't allow many people to take up the Coalition governments offer.
Quite what wichres means by "so called" needy maybe they ought to spend a day with a Council Housing Allocations Officer to find out. Not everyone in Winchester is quite so fortunate as wichres to be able to buy their own home although if winchres does want to sell I am guessing there are many people who will be happy to live here.
iantait
says...
11:38am Sun 7 Oct 12
I would love to see how the views of some of the HC contributors would go down on the doorstep and telling someone in housing need that they should simply tighten their belt may not be what they want to hear particularly when they are probably counting every penny anyway. I have just checked right move and agree that a studio apartment at £140k seems like good value but not really that helpful if you have a child or worse children. No doubt the debate will go on and on and on..........
winchres says...
5:12pm Wed 3 Oct 12