East Hampshire is a beautiful region full of market towns and quintessential English villages. There is, however, a need for more housing across the country. Damian wants to ensure that proposals for development in East Hampshire are well thought through and serve to enhance the area while providing additional homes for the community. Some of the areas of particular interest to Damian are highlighted below.
Consultation on reforms to national planning policy
Damian has cautiously welcomed the proposals put forward by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in its latest consultation on reforming national planning policy, but has stressed the unique circumstances affecting East Hampshire. This latest consultation document is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/levelling-up-and-regeneration-bill-reforms-to-national-planning-policy. The consultation ended on 2 March 2023. The full press release can be viewed here: Response to consultation on National Planning Policy Framework | Damian Hinds
Against the A31 incinerator
Damian campaigned against Veolia's plans to convert its current recycling site on the A31 near Alton into an incinerator. Despite the recommendation from planning officers at HCC to approve Veolia's application for planning permission to build and operate the incinerator, Damian was delighted that Hampshire County Council refused planning permission at their meeting on the 23rd February 2022. Supported by councillors Mark Kemp-Gee, Andrew Joy and Adam Carew, Damian lodged objections during the public consultation periods, stating at the time that:
“If this kind of facility is required (and, to my mind, that is a very big ‘if’), there must be a better location for it. The beauty of the Wey Valley is precious and the impact of the proposed facility on our countryside, the historic town of Alton and its surrounding villages is, I believe, unacceptable." I commend the No Wey Incinerator group for the enormous amount of work undertaken by its members to present detailed and cogent arguments against Veolia’s proposal."
The deadline for Veolia to appeal the planning refusal was September 2022. No appeal was submitted.
See links below to recent press releases.
