District & County Elections 2021
It was something of a disappointing set of results for us, we lost John Bennison as our County Councillor for Crookham & Ewshot and Wendy Makepeace-Browne as a District Councillor for Fleet Central. Despite putting in a huge amount of effort we didn't win in our attempt to dislodge the Tory incumbent in Fleet West nor for the Fleet County Division. We would like to personally thank John and Wendy for all the hard work that they have put in over the years.
However, we are pleased that the residents of Crookham West & Ewshot elected Tina Collins as a new Hart District Councillor, she joins Simon Ambler who was re-elected on Thursday as it was a double election. James Radley was also re-elected to represent the residents of Church Crookham East.
The feeling of the team is that we struggled to get across the complex message that in order to protect our neighbourhoods from future housing growth we do need to be looking at a fall back strategy. Those who have been following the ever expanding growth of the local area will fully appreciate that developers can ride roughshod over local opinion if Hart isn't able to offer up better alternatives. A simpler but popular message of 'no more development anywhere', doesn't actually protect us. If we'd been able to canvass and talk to people we could have explained this much better on the doorstep. Unfortunately due to the concern about inadvertently spreading Covid we have not been able to go knocking on doors this year.
The good news is that we are still in administration at Hart and we will continue to represent the best interests of local people. Thank you to all of you who once again put your trust in us at the ballot box.
SHAPLEY HEATH - a new Community Garden Village
Why is a strategy needed?
It’s common knowledge that central government, whatever their colour, require local authorities to supply new housing as our population continues to grow. The population of England alone has increased by 20 million this century alone.
The number of new homes required by government may vary year on year, it is wishful thinking to conclude that we will ever be in the position of not being required to build more houses.
In recent years, it has become evident that we are running out of places to build these new homes. Our existing settlements are struggling to cope with the many infill and bolt-on developments, as they place undue stress on old, well established infrastructure and amenities.
Many of these developments, including Grove Farm, Hartland Village and Watery Lane, were refused at the planning stage but were then successful through appeal. Why? Because Hart’s Local Plan had expired in 2006 and was never updated by successive Conservative administrations. When the CCH and Lib Dems formed a new administration in 2017 its primary objective was to produce a Local Plan. The CCH made good its promise and Hart’s Local Plan was formally adopted in May 2020. Our Local Plan that has already offered protection to our existing settlements, preventing 700 new homes at Pale Lane, 700 new homes in Hook and a Care Village in Crookham Village.
So why do CCH support a new settlement? That’s easy.....
A new settlement, a Community Garden Village, known as Shapley Heath and situated near Winchfield (not "West of Fleet" a term you may have encountered on FaceBook) will provide the following, but not exhaustive, benefits to Hart, as well as the new community itself:-
- A new secondary school
- 4 primary schools
- Early years centre
- Community Hub
- Medical Centre
- Local centre
- 2 neighbourhood centres
- Job opportunities
- Start up business units
- Self build plots
- 40% affordable housing
- Care home village
- Offsite road improvements
- Extensive amenity space and play areas
- Cycle routes linking existing settlements
- Smart Technology
- Renewable energy
The alternative to Shapley Heath is, none of the above, just more building in and around Fleet, Church Crookham and Crookham Village. Let’s not forget, there is an expectation that we will be required to build up to 5,000 new homes over the next 15-20 years. To help visualise this, that’s the houses on Elvetham Heath x 2.5 being built amidst and alongside these existing settlements. Small developments, blocks of flats, literally infilling any space we have left.
The alternative includes a return of the developments previously successfully defended at appeal, eg Elvetham Chase (Pale Lane).
The alternative includes even more pressure on our schools, on our GP’s and on our roads. Calthorpe Park School has already been extended several times, and, even with that, we will run out of secondary school places by 2025. Your GP practice already has nearly 3,000 more people its books than the national average. Our roads are already congested, badly worn and potholed.
There is not a single Community Campaign councillor who actively seeks more homes built anywhere in the district but we have to be sensible and we have to be realistic. With only two options available, we believe that a sustainable plan that will be future proof, being thought about now, being properly planned now, is the responsible thing to do.
AND, IF WE DON’T NEED TO BUILD OUT AT SHAPLEY HEATH WE WON’T. BUT IF WE DO, WE ARE PREPARED.
Can the other parties say the same? They’ll likely say ‘through regeneration of Fleet’..... what that actually means is the alternative, as described above, the over intensification of our town and adjoining rural fringe. Please ask them where they expect to place new housing before you put your cross in the box on 6th May 2021.
Help CCH make the difference in your area
Welcome to the official website of the Community Campaign (Hart). Here you can find out more about us and what we have been doing to support the local quality of life and environment in Hart District, North East Hampshire.
You can get a fair idea about what we do and what we achieve by looking at our latest newsletter and our newsletter archive.
Common sense solutions for local issues
Without party political pressures, your ten Community Campaign Councillors have made a positive impact across Hart District by always being able to do what they feel is right, rather than having to tow a party political line. We consider alternative ideas with an open mind and readily challenge what others claim to be inevitable.
Newsletters
If you are new to the area and wish to get a full flavour of what the Community Campaign councillors have been doing since first elected in 2004, please review our on-line Newsletter archive or contact us to discuss any local issues.
This is what the CCH stands for:
We have no political dogma. We simply want to fairly and effectively represent local people.
You can get a fair idea about what we do and what we achieve by looking at our latest newsletter and our newsletter archive.
Common sense solutions for local issues
Without party political pressures, your ten Community Campaign Councillors have made a positive impact across Hart District by always being able to do what they feel is right, rather than having to tow a party political line. We consider alternative ideas with an open mind and readily challenge what others claim to be inevitable.
Newsletters
If you are new to the area and wish to get a full flavour of what the Community Campaign councillors have been doing since first elected in 2004, please review our on-line Newsletter archive or contact us to discuss any local issues.
This is what the CCH stands for:
We have no political dogma. We simply want to fairly and effectively represent local people.
- We are free from party politics so are free to exercise our best judgement, on all issues. We can approach each issue with an open mind.
- We believe that best results are achieved by people working together, by looking for the best way forward and by being open to good ideas.
- We are prepared to challenge when necessary.
- Above all else, we want to do this because we care about the local community and environment.
