If you've been to Winchester you may have seen in some windows posters saying 'Save Barton Farm'. Today it appears it was saved..for now. Barton Farm is an area of farmland to the north of Winchester where a property developer has wanted to build some 2000 new homes, shops, restaurants and offices etc since the late 1990s. Residents objected saying saying the city's roads, schools and services could not cope with so many new homes and the local council voted against the proposal. A planning enquiry then approved the plans, but yesterday minister Eric Pickles overturned the decision and concluded that the matter must be decided locally. Our member of parliament Steve Brine said "Ultimately it's about the sort of place we want Winchester to be and a judgement call as to when the city has extended far enough into its famous landscape setting." There is still the feeling though that somehow developers will have their way, so I don't imagine this is the end of this. The other side of the story is that Winchester is one of the most expensive places to live in the UK, affordable housing is scarce and this development would have provided some 800 'affordable houses'.
The main problem is that so many people want to live in the finest city in England and developers want to jump on the bandwagon and build cheap housing at a high price. (We all now how high property prices are in Winchester).
ReplyDeleteThe people who want to move here to share the heritage and ambiance of Winchester are the people who, by sheer numbers, will destroy the very thing they most desire.
Home and commercial growth is important. However, No Farms! No Food! Not to mention turning farm land into parking lots.
ReplyDeleteWendy is right - and it's hard enough to get in and out of winchester at any time of the day as it is, adding another potential 800+ cars to the mix would be awful.
ReplyDeleteAha! It worked!
ReplyDeleteI now have to sign in to blogger first.
Yes, I agree, I don't think it should be built, it's a huge area of land and would really change Winchester. I bet it will go the go ahead in the end.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Wendy people want to live here because of how nice Winchester is, if it's turned into an urban sprawl then it changes its nature.
When I was younger I wanted to live in the same town where I grew up, unfortunately I couldn't afford it and it took some 14 years before I finally did earn enough money to be able live there. I just had to go & live somewhere not as expensive until I could afford it.