SIR: How does our city council manage to get it so wrong so often?

We know it is understaffed, its expertise is scarce, and many councillors do not seem to have the necessary vision or even some relevant experience. Yes, Winchester is bombarded with development proposals - Central Winchester Regeneration, Station Approach, River Park, Sir John Moore barracks (eventually), the Vaultex site, the in my opinion mad diversion of Andover Road (the Romans laid out their roads in straight lines for a reason), the district-wide transportation review - plus a review/update of the Local Plan.

As a way through this welter, the council has tried the ‘Basingstoke approach’, and has hired London estate agents JLL, who seem to be overcomplicating, and deepening the mire we are in.

Certainly for the 300-400 residents and rate-payers who worked with the architect/planner firm JTP to produce the Supplementary Planning Document (SPD), it would seem logical to try a different approach.

Is it not time to think of a Community Plan for Winchester, to knit together the many areas for possible development?

This Community Plan approach would bring together a wider body of expertise, of which the Council would only be a part, not the whole. Winchester does need, and deserves, a much better approach to PLAN for its future!

Terry Gould,

Fairfield Road,

Fulflood,

Winchester

 

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