Alresford in line for 600 extra homes by 2026 (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Alresford in line for 600 extra homes by 2026

12:20pm Wednesday 5th November 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

FEARS are mounting that Alresford will have to absorb up to 600 new homes over the next two decades.

Concern has grown after the figure was mentioned during a meeting between Winchester planners and Alresford groups in September.

It is double the maximum amount of dwellings currently being considered for the town under the city council’s plans for the district over the next 20 years.

County councillor for the Itchen Valley, Jackie Porter, who attended September’s get-together, said: “I had 600 [homes] in my head after I came out of the meeting whereas when I went in it was 300 and I only summon things from evidence.”

But Winchester City Council has strongly denied that any of its officers mentioned the figure. Steve Opacic, the city council’s head of strategic planning, said: “I think they have put several possibilities together and come up with the 600 figure.

“All we have done is consult people on different options which remains between nought and 300 homes on greenfield sites.”

Earlier this year a meeting held at Perins School presented three options to residents regarding house building in the town: maintain current levels of housing or build up to 150 or 300 new homes.

Roy Gentry, vice-chairman of New Alresford Town Council, said people were ‘up in arms’ about the number of home earmarked for the parish.

He said: “I’m absolutely determined that Winchester City Council goes through a proper evaluation process with the residents of Alresford and representative organisations before any decisions are taken.

“Nobody has demonstrated that the infrastructure of the town can sustain this development. We don’t know what the impact is going to be. That’s part of the problem.”

Cllr Gentry added Alresford’s surrounding parishes should also shoulder some of the home building burden. He said Alresford’s 5,500 population was squeezed onto a 692-acre plot whereas the five surrounding parishes have 1,750 people on 17,700 acres.

He said: “Alresford is a very, very small parish and we do need to keep our green open spaces and if there has to be development people should look at the surrounding villages to see if there can be any development.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)