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How can we stop all the development in liphook - Js (18th Jan 2015 - 10:50:46) I am really upset with all the buildings going up or being planned in this VILLAGE. Yes this village. What on earth is going on? The traffic is growing, people going to work are parking anywhere in our quiet streets because there is not enough spaces in the station car park. I feel very claustrophobic now and enclosed, especially the development on the midhurst road. Oh my goodness I am very upset about this. Do any residents of this village agree?

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Ryan (19th Jan 2015 - 17:08:03) I do agree. But, I have 2 kids that have outgrown their single bedroom. I hope that with more housing options, ill be able to get a slightly bigger property. So, on a practical level I'm please/hopeful about more developments, though at the same time I completely understand your view.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Canute (19th Jan 2015 - 17:42:22) I suspect that EHDC and Hampshire County Council have already decided that from their perspective Liphook is the ideal place for significant development! With a mainline station, schools, and junction for the A3 I'm sure they think our village is ripe for enlargement and all the PR, spin and public consultation events will just be a sham. Change inevitably will therefore happen but if the current residents are vigorous, united and energetic in their objection then at least there may be an opportunity to influence and possibly restrict the scale of the development. Whatever your personal preference is, be it for no development or one site in favour of another, it is inevitable there will be a significant number of homes built over the next decade or so in the area so we really do need to find a way that the opinions of the majority in the village are represented either at planning or in the inevitable protest campaigns.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Caroline (19th Jan 2015 - 18:32:46) I agree with Ryan I need to up size desperately and no one wants to swap to a first floor flat so I need there to be more housing options

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - val (19th Jan 2015 - 20:15:03) The last two posts highlight the “weak spot” in the anti-development argument. On the one hand we need more houses and on the other, people already living in an area do not want more development. There is no easy answer, but I do take issue with those people living on relatively new developments say in the last 20 years, being against any further development. Talk about “pull up the ladder, I’m alright Jack”. I call these people “drawbridge people”. They are living in their comfortable house on a newish housing estate to which the locals probably objected, and object to any other development. A touch of hypocrisy I feel.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - tony (19th Jan 2015 - 21:25:37) I doubt that most of these houses are going to go to Liphook first timers and residents upgrading, hopefully some will, for people like Caroline, but I expect many will be marketed predominately at the buy to letters and London exodus.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Alternative view (20th Jan 2015 - 20:12:13) Just think though, with all these extra people here with money to spend the village centre might actually improve (it's hardly great is it!?)!

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - NMG (20th Jan 2015 - 21:22:19) Lets face it, Liphook is what it is. It is not a pretty chocolate box village in deepest countryside. It was a Village, plus Newtown suburb, which over the years has gone through many changes and transitions, and like it or not, it has evolved into a TOWN This small TOWN of ours needs to be re-thought, and carefully planned to take into account and embrace the growing population. We have seen huge re-development of Liphook over the last 40 plus years, and I'm sure most of the above posts occupy buildings built within this time. (but I suppose that is acceptable!) I have lived in Liphook for 45 years, and I think its better than ever. No OSU, no A3 through the middle, and reasonable mix of housing for all, plus many employment establishments. People need houses. Be progressive and embrace the expansion of our TOWN. Think of the bigger picture; we all want our family to be nearby.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Caroline (20th Jan 2015 - 22:01:01) I'm in an old build In malthouse meadows and in the new developments going up the council get 11% wich out of that 11% half will be affordable buy homes which I still won't be able to afford I've lived in liphook all my life and I like it here my work is here my children's school is here I'm just hoping I can find someone to down size as I know I have no chance of getting one of the new ones

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Kat (21st Jan 2015 - 10:44:28) We will never stop all development. In my opinion we need a Neighbourhood Plan so we can have a say in the planning process, a new box of Parish Councillors who will listen to the community and do something about it, rather than follow their individual self serving agendas..simples.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Sarah (21st Jan 2015 - 13:06:13) As a resident of Liphook, I am pretty disappointed at the questioned posted by the OP. Although many of the responses are well considered and give me hope. Surely the question should be "how do we ensure that Liphook continues to provide services for its residents, maintain the 'village' feel but provide affordable homes for our children?" This can all be achieved through sensible, planned growth. A neighbourhood plan would be instrumental in defining what is sensible, what services we need, what we mean by 'village' and the types of houses needed to ensure that we remain prosperous and not just a sterile commuter village or retirement home. However, in answer to the OP question there is no planning mechanism to stop development, the closest you get is green belt policy, and even then there are exceptions where development is allowed. Additionally, I don't truly think that you mean all development right? Surely a side extension here or a conservatory there would be OK? Although even these provide no end of neighbour arguments - so maybe it should include all development? What we all need to influence is the local plan, the policies it will contain and positively engage in identifying appropriate sites for development. We also need to convince the Parish Council that a neighbourhood plan is necessary and that work should start ASAP - funding should not be the reason this doesn't happen, otherwise we will loose our voices.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - ellie (21st Jan 2015 - 14:02:06) Kat I do not know if you live in Liphook or not, do not think so, but Neighbourhood plans in other places have lead to a lot more development rather than just putting housing numbers on one site. You will never get everyone to agree what is "best for the village?" There will be opposition to every area chosen for development, regardless of a plan or not. A properly formulated plan takes about 2 years to take legal effect, the housing requirements for Liphook were set at least 18 months ago, doing a plan is to plan for an increase of houses over and above those housing numbers. It is also worrying the amount of extra traffic through the village centre from Bordon and Haslemere, as they have housing requirements too. Just because a development is not in a plan does not mean it will not get built, all a Neighbourhood plan means is that extra houses can be built in a certain area over and above our existing housing numbers.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Daisy (21st Jan 2015 - 14:41:40) A Neighbourhood Plan cannot prevent development, it is a government scheme to encourage even more development. We do not have a Green Belt close to Liphook but we do have the South Downs National Park which has far greater protection and very strict controls on development, and that has the backing of this government.

Re: How can we stop all the development in liphook - Sarah (21st Jan 2015 - 18:27:08) You absolutely right, neighbourhood plans will no stop development. As previously stated there are no planning mechanisms that put a moratorium on development. Neighbourhood plans must be in conformity with the local plan so will need to plan to accommodate the number of houses proposed (or more, if you want to support further growth). Rather than being stuck like a record on the 'we don't want development' and find that you get it anyway - because we will, why not engage in the process to ensure that the houses go in the right place, that the infrastructure needed to facilitate them is given the highest priority and that as many as possible will be affordable.

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