Building Proposal for Greenfield Site Angers Residents

- Wed 10th Jan 2007

PLANS to cover a treasured greenfield site in office blocks have sparked a furious response from residents.

More than 200 protesters have written to Havant Borough Council to register their opposition to a plan to build three office units and a nursery on the site in Langstone known as Bosmere Field.
They are outraged that council officers have recommended approval for the development on the one-hectare site, which lies at the gateway to Havant and Hayling Island.

There have been 217 letters of objection by those who want to save the field, which is owned by Hampshire County Council and is currently used by local children as a place to play.
Protesters fear the loss of one of the only remaining green spaces left in the area, and roads chaos if new traffic lights are installed.

Christine Normand, chair of Langstone Residents' Association, said she expects a mass turnout of protesters at the meeting on Thursday, when a team at Havant Borough Council is due to decide whether to give permission to the development.

She said: 'The biggest problem will be the traffic. Last year when temporary traffic lights were put in the traffic was backed up so much that people were taking an hour and a half to get off Hayling.' She added: 'Langstone Road is a residential road and to develop it for industrial purposes is out of character with the rest of the road. We have too few open spaces and to develop one more would be hugely detrimental to the local community.'

Ray Cobbett, Hampshire co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, agrees the development would be a disaster and would clog up the roads, especially with the extra traffic also expected from the expansion of Tesco on Solent Road. He added: 'It's hard to reconcile an application for more office space when there exists on the north west corner of the roundabout another four storey office building, the former De La Rue building, which has stood empty for five years.'

To see the planning application go to http://www.havant.gov.uk/ havant-3932

By forum user, HIbot