Long Overdue Infrastructure Review
What we believe is Hayling Island’s first Infrastructure Review is now finally being conducted by Hampshire County Council thanks to tremendous pressure from Hayling residents at HIRA’s October AGM and Save Our Island’s Petition of over 5,000 signatures. HIRA supporters delivered over 6,000 leaflets supporting this campaign. The Infrastructure Review Group comprises Havant Borough and Hampshire County Councils’ Officers, Hayling Councillors, several Hayling residents’ representatives including HIRA and Save Our Island and Langstone residents’ representatives. The enquiries’ results will be discussed by the Group and eventually form a Report that, we are told, will feed into Havant BC’s Housing Plan. All enquiry details are confidential to the Group which meets again soon.
Cllr Pike (Langstone) requested that residents’ representatives ask Hayling Islanders to send in constructive proposals for any means by which traffic on/off the Island could be reduced. HIRA posted this request on our Mengeham Noticeboard, our website www.haylingresidentsassociation.co.uk and FB page. Please submit your ideas either to HIRA or directly to David Hayward, Planning Officer, Havant Plaza or david.hayward@havant.gov.uk.
Readers will by now be well aware that, thanks to the Government’s NPPF document loopholes, developers continue to submit speculative building Applications and Rook Farm’s APP/17/00007 had 522 Comments at time of writing. Attention is still paid to further Comments before a final decision. One ex County Councillor stated that such a response is an impressive result from Hayling given that most people lack confidence in making such public comment.
Nevertheless many of us are deeply concerned at a national Planning system that permits any significant Application to be even considered during a period when a major, overdue Infrastructure Review is ongoing. Where are our democratically elected representatives – at all levels - whom we trusted to act in the taxpayers’ interests? Similarly why are Residents’ Associations being expected to make the running in notifying residents about key matters which our Councils have money themselves to disseminate to households?
For example, Serving You (Winter 2016) failed to include HBC’s request for residents’ views of dog management under Public Space Protection Order 2014, instead HBC posted this request on its website and by email to HIRA to disseminate to the public. It is hugely mistaken to believe that every household routinely uses a Computer or mobile device to access Council information. This should have been anticipated and sent out in the Council’s magazine. The majority of people choose to rely on paper communication from our Councils. Social media is chiefly used for personal messaging.
Mill Rythe Planning APP/16/01237 is important for readers to view because its proposals have implications for impact on Hayling’s Infrastructure. Chichester Harbour Conservancy has objected, concerned about effects on the Harbour. Will the Council be able to preserve and enforce continued 10 month habitation restrictions on caravan use? If not, these become permanent housing units with associated permanent traffic. A SUDS drainage system, supposedly sustainable, could result in increased fouling in the Harbour but our Infrastructure Review has only begun so no-one knows if Southern Water could accommodate increased useage from Mill Rythe.
We have recently learned that the NHS, carrying out reviews of its properties, is considering selling ‘some land on Hayling’. We must ensure that our elected representatives at all levels are fully aware that, on Hayling, the NHS must maintain and support our current Medical Practices with their full complement of essential staff.
HIRA plans to hold a Hustings for our County Council Hayling Island Candidates currently on Friday April 21st at West Town’s Community Centre to be confirmed. We look forward to hearing from any candidate on our usual: hello@haylingresidentsassociation.co.uk or Drop Boxes: Library, Morris Dibben, Eastoke’s The Terracotta Pot & Gift Shop, West Town’s Community Centre.
