County Tories force through Minerals Plan

5.07.48am UTC (GMT +0000) Sat 12th Jul 2008

In a packed meeting Hampshire County Council Conservatives were told by 13 deputations from the public why their Minerals plan is unsound.

Led by Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne they all vigorously attacked it for serious flaws.

Councillors and public from the North, East, West and South of the County had decried the lack of adequate consultation.

After each speech ended it was greeted with applause from the public and Liberal Democrat Councillors whilst Conservatives and the four Labour Councillors sat stony faced.

In arguments that mirrored those against the Mega depot at Pyestock locally just a few months ago, people accused Hampshire Highways of using a fundamentally flawed methodology in assessing the impact of lorries on our roads and not realising that one HGV is the equivalent of three cars.

Basic mistakes were made with Netley View (New Forest side of Southampton water) described as being on the Hamble side i.e. the opposite bank. Comments from people were put as being from the wrong areas so when searched for they could not be found as objecting to a locality they lived in.

One Eversley resident was not consulted as the arbitrary distance for consultation ended in their garden but did not include their home!

County Councillor for Eversley David Simpson asks "If they cannot get the basics right how can we trust them on the major issues?

The Conservatives tried to defend the plan by saying if it is not agreed then "we will have planning by Appeal".

This attempt at forcing councillors to vote for the flawed plan had no takers form the Liberal Democrat ranks. The same argument was used in the nineties about Housing figures for Hampshire. Then the Liberal Democrats introduced something called Reserve Sites, a new concept that allowed Hampshire to build without using Green field sites. The idea was if Hampshire met the Government targets they would not be needed. The targets have always been met and green fields across Hampshire saved as a result.

Now we have the discredited Labour Government saying we need around 2.4 million tons of gravel per year. The incompetent Conservative administration in Hampshire saying we need 1.82 million tons per year yet the market saying we need just 1.244 million tons per year.

Indeed the total amount needed has fallen for the last ten years until last year it was 1.244 million tons.

Liberal Democrat Leader at Hampshire Adrian Collett therefore proposed we should only plan for what the market is demanding, after all no one realistically expects an upturn in demand during a recession when it was decreasing during a boom time in the economy.

Councillor Collett stormed "We should take on this awful Government and defend what we know is right for Hampshire. The figures are easily defended at this level and the Inspector will support us."