Concern over 3,300 new homes planned for Fareham

The local authority is redrawing its local plan, which will dictate where development is allowed until 2036. Despite the fact that the council is masterminding the 6,000-home new town Welborne, to be built between Fareham and Wickham, it has revealed that it will allocate land for 3,300 new homes. Some is on brownfield - previously developed - land such as in Fareham town centre. But some is on green fields, including large new estates in Portchester and Warsash - both earmarked for 700 homes - and Stubbington. For the full list of allocated sites click here. There are worries that the area cannot cope with more houses. Lib Dem Councillor Shaun Cunningham said: ‘Not one of those new homes will provide any new infrastructure for our local road network, no funds to mitigate the additional pressures on healthcare provision or to meet the demand for additional school places. Portchester has 744 proposed homes including 120 at Cranleigh Road and 49 at Moraunt Drive – both schemes which have previously received backlash from residents. Cllr Cunningham continued: ‘Portchester will see a huge increase in traffic congestion with no mitigation whatsoever. ‘Quality of local life for the present residents of Portchester seems to have bearing on the decisions.’ But the message from the leader of Fareham Borough Council is that ‘we need more houses’. Councillor Sean Woodward said: ‘Over the last 30 years the number of residents over the age of 85 in Fareham has grown by 300 per cent. ‘We are now in a position where we have to house three generations rather than two so we need more housing.’ Earlier this year the council issued a call for land, asking landowners to come forward if they had areas which could be built on - and said that any suggestions were vetted by an outside authority to make sure they were acceptable. Cllr Woodward said: ‘When we did a call for sites I think there were about 11,000 housing projects put forward and some of these were put in and others we have to defend.’ Many have previously criticised the council for the Welborne project and Cllr Cunningham said: ‘So many promises made over the years and Welborne was supposed to have been our good shepherd. ‘All we hear are excuses after excuses for the mishandling of the project.’ During draft local plan discussions Cllr Woodward admitted the garden village was running a few years late. He said: ‘It was only on September 22 we got a single landowner who owns 90 per cent of the land. ‘That is obviously not going to see all 6,000 houses built in that time, probably only 4,000 but that is still 6,000 houses that are not built on other greenfield sites. ‘We have tried to go for the least worst options.’ Cllr Woodward added: ‘We have a government which is absolutely determined that housing needs will be met. ‘If we didn’t do this we would have had it done to us.’ The last day for registering for a deputation is midday on Thursday, October 5. The Draft Local Plan 2036 will be discussed by the executive on Monday, October 9. If residents wish to make a deputation at the meeting they need to register by midday on CHECK A form can be requested by calling 01329 824594 or visit fareham.gov.uk/about_the_council/council_and_democracy/deputationsother.aspx