I am the District Ward Councillor for Horndean Hazleton and Blendworth. I received notification from East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) that it proposed to sell the Blendworth Depot, the adjacent car park and the public toilets as one site for residential development. EHDC owns the land. The public toilets would be closed immediately if the proposals went ahead.
I feel very strongly that the residents of Horndean should be objecting to the proposal. I would ask that residents consider this proposal and make their views known to me so that they can be forwarded on to the officer at EHDC who is dealing with the matter.
I make the following points:-
1. I do not agree with the proposal to sell the depot, car park and the public toilets as one lot for residential development.
2. It is vital that the car park is retained as a car park. Horndean village is extremely short of public parking. This is constantly raised by residents as one of the biggest problems for the village. A lot of the village centre has double yellow lines because the London Rd is the main thoroughfare for traffic from that part of Horndean to the north and Clanfield and vice versa. Horndean village is long established and a large part of the dwellings do not have parking. We then have the businesses in the village centre. The last couple of years has seen a transformation in the village with new businesses opening up and attracting not only residents but also people living outside the area. The village centre is now a vibrant place to be as opposed to somewhere that one drove through to get to somewhere else. Without public car parking, the continued rejuvenation of the centre cannot happen.
3. It is vital that the employment designation of the depot is retained. One of the big advantages of LEOH was that employment land would be provided on site. Historically, residents have just lived in Horndean but have had to drive out of the area to work. There is local interest in the site and this should receive serious consideration. It would increase employment opportunities in Horndean.
4. It is also vital that the public toilets are retained. I have already referred to the transformation of the village centre. The toilets are regularly used by members of the public, visitors to the area, tradesmen, taxi and lorry drivers. I often direct individuals to them. I also understand that the toilets do have historical interest because they won an award for their innovation when first built.
5. Looking to the future, I make the following observations:- 5.1. We have the development of the Land East of Horndean site about to commence. This will bring some 700 new dwellings plus a care village to the area. Once built, the village centre will need a great deal more parking if people are to be enabled to use the doctor’s surgery, eateries and shops.
5.2. The doctor’s surgery will be moving to the new purpose built surgery in the Old Brewery development. The Practice can be expected to grow into the much larger building and more parking will be required in the village, not less.
Action is required now. Please take the time to let me know your thought.
Elaine Tickell
Ward Member for Horndean Hazleton and Blendworth.
Email:- elaine.tickell@easthants.gov.uk
horndeanmatters 
I utterly oppose the proposed sale.
At a recent meeting of the Horndean surgery patient participation group, I raised the question of car parking at the new surgery and was assured that the car park in question would still be available for staff and patients, as the adjacent car park will not have sufficient spaces to meet the demand.
As a resident of Catherington, the area you are talking about is not known to me, is it possible to provide a map of the area?
Hopefully this link will assist you:-
https://preview.tinyurl.com/ya5t2swh
Please write to Elaine Tickell with your views.
Like I first said Trust not Tricks, EHDC do not give a didly squat about the loss of a public convienance that is used by thousands of local and walkers from the area and afar. Or a car park which anyone with half an ounce of commen sence will know is a ” must” requirement.
NOW the parish admits extra parking space will be required to assist the 2500 to 4000 extra vehicles this vast estate EOH will create.
I will have a wager at the local Red Lion that this land will be sold and developed on.
Watch this space with interest.
You will be stitched up.
Has anyone an idea of price ehdc will be asking.
Does EHDC care, know or want to know about Horndean that forms a large area in the EHDC area?
The answer is simple. They do not know this area and are obviously not concerned with it.
But for the people that live in Horndean and surrounding areas this is an important village with the hub being in the village centre. People throng to the centre for tributes for the Remembrance Service, parking vital for this event for so many disabled veterans, Christmas carols in the square also attracts a well embraced community feel. Again parking needed. So many new houses granted by the EHDC planners with lack of parking spaces seemed to breeze through EHDC planning departments. Now with a village chock a block with houses and a few thriving restaurants the sword of Damocles comes down. Lets remove the vital car park and amenities! Greed or ignorance who knows. Feel we should be judging EHDC if they are proving fit for purpose in our village Maybe Waterlooville and Havant Council would be a better option for our area! How about selling off Petersfield Festival Hall car park for needed homes! No of course not because you are in the National Park Scheme! Wonder why?
Well put Sandra Lucas and yes well used for special events in Horndean but not sure about village status anymore.
I visited site EOH along with all the council bods from ehdc and could clearly see it was a struggle for some of them to walk the land. They didn’t want me there but could do nothing about it. If you want to stop this going ahead you have to be a thorn in their side. What is strange this same council etc did not support developments going ahead in the fields next to this site, I wonder why. Remember Trust Not Tricks, there are plenty here.
What’s your say Guy and your other chum Gerald on this matter, what happened to 5 year plan, or are we coming to that time again?
Well said Steve, Guy Shepherd has been brilliant over the years so look forward to his responses. The general feeling I have from speaking with Horndean residents that this is a total disaster and will be met with a lot of opposition.
Meant to say George, Guy, hopefully you to two will put your support behind all the locals that oppose this stupid ehdc idea.
Can a council sell off parish land without the parish support?
Are there covenants in place regarding what can be done with this land?
What would happen to the fire station ?
I agree that removing the car park and toilets will be disastrous for the village. We don’t need anymore development as there has been enough already. What we really need is a way of diverting traffic away from the village centre rather than building more housing.
We need to keep this car park in Horndean, for people using the various shops, cafe’s,pub and Doctors’ Surgery in the centre of Horndean. EHDC should not be allowed to sell the land off!
It is essential that Horndean keeps both the carpark and the adjoining essential toilets. With the new development of retail units and services Horndean is becoming a village again. It is totally out of order to propose to sell off this land. This is obviously driven by Accountant minds that only see money. Everybody living in or visiting the village for pleasure and work know that car parking is already a significant problem. It is mindless to even consider reducing it.
Keeping the toilets functional and smart is essential especially for those who have little warning of the need to use. My Grandson for instance who has Chrones.
Bin the idea and spend a bit of money tidying up the car park!! Brian Meakin
Parking in Horndean is bad enough as it is and the toilets are vital. More fields disappearing under housing but will there be anywhere for people to park their car if they want to visit the shopping area. I have on occasions parked in The Red Lion carpark which I do not like doing but otherwise I have to go to Cowplain or Waterlooville. Yvonne Moreman
The area which EHDC proposes to sell for development is crucial to the heart of Horndean. What is the point of a doctor’s surgery with no parking, and do we want people to urinate in public.
The sale must not be allowed to go ahead or Horndean willl lose the custom of visitors from the surrounding area who use the restaurants, pubs etc. and will stagnate. Please tell us what can be done to prevent this from happening.
Just as the village is beginning to regenerate it is simply crazy to remove facilities that are well used. It is not as if nobody uses the toilets and the car park! If they remove those facilities we should challenge how they are going to replace them! We need more facilities for the growing population not less.
Selling off this land and associated facilities would be totally at odds with the current development of the village. Given the pressure councils are under to save/make money it is easy to see why they are considering this action. But it does illustrate a complete lack of understanding of the area’s needs.
It should be resisted at all levels.
I’m pleased to read the above.
I hope everyone remembers to follow through by writing to Councillor Elaine Tickell, as requested, expressing their views – I have.
Finally thank-you Guy for this excellent website, which is much appreciated.
Hi,.
After a football match at Five Heads playing grounds on Sunday afternoon between Horndean Hawks and Horndean Raptors, whilst dismantling the goal posts by the manager and a volunteer, two despicable scum stole the equipment which had been placed by the managers vehicle, namely the bag with all the footballs (20 full-size and 25 smaller balls plus the bibs). The two drove into the car park in a black Peugeot 306 with part of their reg LX stole the balls and drove off. This theft will only hurt young boys who enjoy playing football and when they turn up for practice next Saturday have been deprived of their equipment. The mater has been reported to the police. Regards, Jane Stevens
Come on Guy what are you doing to put this stupid idea into touch?
I hope everyone who has posted here has written to Elaine Tickell. If not please do so in the next couple of days – please.
Done last week. Hope many many others have stated their objections.
Don’t leave it to others to fight your battles. It needs as many as possible to write to your parish requesting they fight this stupid idea otherwise EHDC will assume locals dont care!
I do not agree with this proposal and completely agree that car parking in Horndean is already a massive issue. To have more housing is insane. Horndean village is no longer a village it is so busy now let alone having another development especially after the big one next to Keydells. Where are people supposed to park? And what about the public conveniences? Both are used regularly and are important to everyone.
how can you put double yellows lines in front of some village houses with no off road parking and then think of closing the only car park .
Hi Lesley, The building at the rear of the car park needs to be either re-built or demolished and used for something more worthwhile – personally I believe that we need to keep the car park and toilets and have made that view clear.
The car park though is not to subsidise residents who have no parking – if it stays then it needs to be available for everyone to help the village businesses, the cottages have had no private parking. You cant buy a house for less money as it has no parking then expect the community at large to subsidise free parking.
Stupid stupid disgusting.
Said this would happen.
Ehdc, should listen to every sensible persons objection who has raised concerns to the simple fact,, and is there anyone other than councillors and ehdc workers who agree to this sell off?
Where are All the visitors,walkers,shoppers patients, ambulance, workers, restaurant users, cafe users, going to Park!
When leon is finished there could be over 2000 even 5000 extra vehicles in the area, the people living on this concrete site, workers,maintenance men etc all will have vehicles. Why doesn’t the Parish buy it? Set up a fighting fund , will get money spent back from the toilet use and car parking and rent, start thinking outside the box, parish and local councillors, come on Guy get your mates behind this.