Tipping Points...
With only weeks to go before one of the most pressing national decisions in a generation to be made on June 23rd, let’s hope that all voters have read and listened to as many arguments as they can and then vote. Throughout English history men and women have lost their lives for the right to vote and it is hugely mistaken not to do so; if there were not universal suffrage, we would be living in a very different culture and undoubtedly complaining even more.
HIRA is non political but political decisions affect the quality of our lives and that is one of HIRA’s key concerns. The recent May elections’ Havant turnout of 28.9%, Hayling East’s 36.28%, and West’s 38.1% remind us that we need to encourage far greater participation in deciding whose decisions will influence our lives.
Personal Letters Tip the balance
June 25th is the deadline for us to have written in our own reasons for preserving Hayling’s Tip. If you have still not done so, individual letters make a real difference; as per our May information: Cllr Humby, Environment and Transport Exec. Member, Hants. County Council, The Castle, Winchester SO23 8UH. When Petition signatures are checked, their duplication can reduce a Petition’s impact.
Planning Decisions
Appeal Ref: APP/X1735/W/16/3143489 in which Churchill’s proposal for Pullinger’s site re-development was refused, makes worthwhile reading. Key issues raised include: unsuitable residents’, employees’ and service access, the loss of car parking not only on this site but also caused by Hayling Billy pub’s closure and re-development that will impact on local business and their customers, over-tight dimensions and the lack of mitigation of effects on the additional recreational pressures on the Solent Coast Protection Area.
London centric housing pressures on irreplaceable southern and particularly coastal regions raise serious environmental concerns of long term damage for short term solutions. Hayling’s unique landscape and location deserve proper recognition and careful management. McCarthy and Stone’s May presentation of its proposal for Hayling Billy Pub development – which they don’t yet own - appears to have been to sound out local residents’ views. HIRA Committee members spoke at both a private meeting with company representatives and at the public exhibition and remain concerned about sufficient parking/access for both residents, their visitors and any servicing; additionally local residents in several roads already suffer ‘spill-over’ parking and are extremely anxious about any development that further reduces parking and mobility availability. Significantly Company representatives were unaware of such local pressures and concerns! Furthermore such developers don’t realize that many retired people continue to use their cars or drive mobility vehicles.
This is an invaluable historic and leisure amenity, providing all ages and users excellent and freely available access to the beautiful rural and marine environment on our west coast, whilst enjoying uninterrupted views across Langstone Harbour and its protected wildlife reserves which include both SSSI and RSPB listed and protected. HIRA hopes that all Hayling organizations and associations will support celebrations of the Billy Trail’s 150th year in 2017; this could be an opportunity to fund raise and provide essential money for continuing the Trail’s long term re-development. Outlined in our May article, the disabled and the able bodied enjoy the Oyster Bed northern end. Now we should work together to continue this worthwhile project that, so far, has been achieved by Peter Drury’s vision and determination in partnership with Hampshire County Council.
Important Dates: June 30th 7:30 URC Free Talk & Questions on our Local Policing plus First Responders. July 20th 2pm Members’ Free Afternoon Tea: details to be advertised.
Join us: hello@haylingresidentsassociation.co.uk Dropboxes: Community Centre, Library, Morris Dibbens or Terracotta Pot Shop.
