Winchester city councillor Richard Izard says Eastleigh's local plan would bring chaos and carnage to the area

Cllr Richard Izard’s ward of Colden Common and Twyford borders where the borough council wants to build thousands of new homes.

The preferred options - known as Options B and C - would see 5,200 homes built to the north and east of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak, as well as new shops, schools, open spaces and a bypass.

But campaigners say this will result in a “massive urban sprawl”, damaging ancient woodland and wildlife.

In a last-ditch attempt to fight the plans before a crucial decision meeting next week, Action Against Destructive Development (ADD) have held meetings where they have laid out their case.

Cllr Izard said: “We know that Eastleigh is under pressure to put together a plan for new homes over the next 15 years, but to put them all on a swathe of countryside between Lower Upham and Allbrook would be a planning disaster.

“It would lead to road chaos and countryside carnage when there are far better options with far fewer downsides.”

He said that Eastleigh’s favoured option would lead to an additional 26,000 traffic movements a day, mainly under the Allbrook railway bridge.

“Traffic to and from the M3 would simply come to a standstill,” he said.

Cllr Izard also said that the impact on wildlife in and around the River Itchen at Allbrook and Highbridge, and on the ancient woodlands north of Bishopstoke and Fair Oak, would be “catastrophic”.

“I would never dispute the need for new housing, but a plan as big as this needs some serious joined-up thinking between its construction and its impacts on the local communities and environment,” said Cllr. Izard.

“Eastleigh has not yet produced any detailed research on traffic implications, the effects on wildlife habitats and other areas of concern. Yet Eastleigh councillors are being urged to vote in favour of it.

“I’m a Lib Dem councillor and Eastleigh is a Lib Dem led borough. I would love to be able to support my fellow Lib Dems over the district border, but when they put up a proposal as big and damaging as this one, party politics have to be put to one side.”

A Local Plan is a blueprint for future housing developments which guides decisions on planning applications.

Eastleigh Borough Council’s target was to deliver 16,250 homes by 2036, but a Local Plan for 2011-2036 was thrown out by a government inspector back in 2014.

Cllr Keith House, leader of Eastleigh Borough Council, said: “Sadly Richard Izard appears not to have read Eastleigh’s Local Plan documents. His repeated assertions are fake news. The Local Plan provides the homes we need in the most sustainable locations, minimising environmental impact, protecting the ancient woodlands and improving transport links.”

“Government demands that building rates double to meet the nation’s housing need. Young people have no chance of getting access to homes unless we do. Residents have genuine concerns that the council aims to meet but Cllr Izzard’s continued scaremongering helps nobody. It is not liberal or democratic.”

In a statement, Action Against Destructive Development said: “The public attitudes revealed by a council survey underline the folly of Options B and C. Residents want to reduce traffic congestion at the same time as protecting strategic gaps between villages, reducing noise and air pollution, promoting medical services and protecting the natural environment.

“Yet if these options went ahead they would achieve the very opposite. They would create a massive urban sprawl, maximise car usage and therefore traffic congestion, creating 26,000 additional vehicle movements a day by building homes far away from public transport and motorway access.

“At the same time, the plans involve an ill-considered link road that would actually add to congestion, whilst permanently damaging ancient woodland and the River Itchen and slicing the village of Allbrook in two.”

Eastleigh Borough Council will meet at The Hilton at the Ageas Bowl on December 11 to consider the Local Plan.