THE preliminary work on a 2000-home development in Hampshire has suffered delays, a forum heard.

Work is due to start later this year on building the first of 2,000 homes on Baton Farm on the northern edge of Winchester.

Cala Homes have been building the access to the site off Andover Road.

The Barton Farm Forum heard Rob Westwood, development director, said there had been problem getting Southern Electric to lay powerlines onto the land and for streetlights.

That work will mean the retention of the traffic cones that have been hampering traffic flow for several months.

The county council has yet to approve details of the traffic management.

Steve Tilbury, corporate director for the city council, said: “There is considerable frustration about the length of time to do the work. Officers from the county council have been quite direct with Cala about their frustration that these cones still need to be there.”

Forum chairman James Byrnes said he was worried that the delays with the contractors Southern Electric may be a result of weak project management with Cala.

The first phase of building is due to start later this summer. Some 220 homes will be built on the northern part of the site; 90 of them will be social housing for people on the council housing register.

Daily Echo:

Barton Farm at present

The forum, which includes city councillors, parish councillors and Cala, also heard negotiations are ongoing for the Hampshire wildlife trust to take over the land east of the railway line.

Meanwhile the forum was told that the Adult Continuing Education was considering moving into the proposed ‘town centre’ of the new development.

Discussions are currently being held with Peter Symonds College which operates the service.

Mr Tilbury said: “If that happened it would be a good thing for Barton Farm.”

The development will hare a square with shops, a community centre, primary school, pub/restaurant and 60-bed care home.

The forum also heard that Barton Farm will eventually have its own parish council and not be linked to existing ones such as Headbourne Worthy or Littleton and Harestock.