Every local authority is required to have a ‘Local Plan’ for housing, and this has to be reviewed every few years to suit housing needs in our communities. EHDC are currently working on our Local Plan which is called the Joint Core Strategy which incorporates two planning authorities – South Downs National Park (inside East Hants) and East Hampshire District Council.
It looks like there will be an increase in the projected housing to meet our needs, and the next 3 months will see what this increase is, and where it will be allocated. This is a difficult task as the South Downs National Park has a protected status and some of their housing needs are likely to be spread North and South of the park.
It is up to the District Councillors South of Butser to do what we can to minimise the housing increase and preserve our Semi Rural feel, but then once the numbers are clear, to steer this to areas where they do not damage the local communities, and we can build the right facilities.
Updates will feature here as they come.
horndeanmatters 
I am sceptical of any promise to increase ‘facilities’. Like the care home that didn’t happen and is now extra flats, like the new GP surgery that we are still waiting on but possibly is too dear, like the new convenience store with parking that was meant to be happening with the current development but I am not sure if it is now -nothing has been said. What has our community gained? Horrendous roadworks and a rough road and we have lost a ‘destination point’ in the brewery. People used to come here purely because of the brewery. Our small shopping centre is tatty and sad. All we need now is Keydell to up sticks and what is left – not a lot.
Hi Jennie, The care home and Doctors Surgery are private businesses that can not be forced to build or relocate, much though we want these facilities built into the village. Sadly, both Gales and Keydell (if they do move) will be motivated out of greed for the land value. Again, as they are private businesses, there is nothing any of us can do to stop this apart from fight the planning application for Keydell on their new site. New homes coming into the area (including from the gales site) will being about £11,000 each in developers contributions and this we do control, so at some point we will be able to plan in facilities we know we need and will be able to afford. Guy.