ALTON HERALD – NEWS FROM FOUR MARKS.

A formidable and predictable level of protest has again been registered with East Hants District Council planning when 431 Objections were received in response to a speculative, back-land development of 60 houses behind 46 Lymington Bottom, Four Marks.

This is the THIRD time Gladman Developments Ltd, (a division of Barratt Developments PLC) has submitted this proposal, largely unchanged, and EACH and EVERY time, the village has let its views be known with 430+ objections.

background

Four Marks and “South” Medstead have been inundated with housing developments, increasing from approx. 2073 to 2624 (26% increase) over 8 years up to 2021, without any significant improvement in infrastructure or facilities. The resulting increase in traffic has caused difficulties at the road junctions joining the A31 trunk road, dangerous levels of traffic outside the oversubscribed Primary schools and both doctor’s surgeries overstretched.

Over the last 6 months, two local resident’s groups have formed, first of all SMASH (South Medstead against Speculative Housing) www.smashonline.co.uk and the Fight4FourMarks group reformed with new members www.fight4fourmarks.co.uk .

Both groups are focussed on making sure that residents are fully informed about the speculative applications from voracious land developers who are targeting Four Marks and Medstead because they know only too well that EHDC have been caught on the hop without a current 5year land supply. EHDC are also in the middle of drawing up a new Local Plan, something both groups are working hard to keep abreast of and making detailed submissions to the consultation process.

On the recent Application from Gladman, Fight4FourMarks mobilised to get the word out to every household, over the early part of June 2023. Feedback from residents to EHDC highlighted the general concerns about the size and density of the proposed estate and the ability of our existing infrastructure to cope. There were serious concerns about the increase in traffic onto Lymington Bottom, so near the busy school where drop off and pick up times are already dangerously congested. This part of the road network also floods easily and the additional predictable run off from this estate on a steep slope worried many.

Dr Arthur Barlow, Chair of Fight4FourMarks said:

” The more than 430 comments received by EHDC represent a significant proportion of the local population. Residents are understandably concerned about the re-emergence of highly speculative and unplanned proposals and the impact on our already over inadequate local infrastructure. We have achieved our objective of making sure EHDC understand the depth of local feeling and the huge number of objections should give them cause for serious concern. Almost identical Gladman applications for developing this site have been refused for sound planning reasons twice before and nothing material has changed, so it should be dismissed for a third time”.