Focus on eco-town fears in Fareham for the general election

Fareham Town Centre Fareham Town Centre

WITH MORE than seven thousand homes earmarked for the Fareham countryside, avoiding a planning disaster is the key battleground in this fight.

As the borough prepares itself for a population explosion to the north of Wickham, getting the infrastructure right for a proposed eco-town is vital for the prosperity of Fareham.

It is these challenges for roads, schools and amenities that will form the ammunition for candidates ready to try to wrestle the seat from the grip of the Conservatives, who have proved untouchable in the past.

Winning half of the votes in the last election, Mark Hoban is sitting comfortably in his seat, having escaped the expenses scandal relatively unscathed.

The Tory candidate, who has served as Fareham MP for nine years, won 49.7 per cent of the votes in 2005, giving him a majority of more than 11,000 over his closest competitor.

His nearest rival is Labour candidate James Carr, who stood for election in 2005, getting 25 per cent of the votes, with the Liberal Democrats coming in third.

For Mr Hoban the priority is to give the local council and the people the power to decide on planning issues and allow them to have their say.With more housing comes pressure on services and once again people power is the key to getting things right, according to Mr Hoban.

Biology teacher Mr Carr criticises the Tory approach to planning in the past, using Whiteley as an example of how things should not be done.

He believes that the traffic chaos around Whiteley was a failure and is keen for better public transport and wants to fight for a metro system for the whole of the Solent region.

Fighting for the seat for the Lib Dems is veteran Portsmouth councillor Alex Bentley who believes now is the time to get rid of the old system and bring in a fresh crop of MPs who will restore voters belief in politics.

Opposing the eco-town is Green Party candidate Peter Doggett, who is eager to solve what he believes is the roads crisis in Fareham by providing a new and improved cycle network.

Protecting British business and getting people back to work is a pressing issues for UK Independence Party candidate, Steve Richards, as is tougher prison sentences for career criminals.

Also standing in Fareham is Joe Jenkins for the English Democrats.

Additional reporting by Joseph Curtis, Gina Inglis and Ellen Jocelyn.

Comments(27)

Bartonian says...
10:02am Mon 26 Apr 10

"COMMON PURPOSE"

SHOULDN'T WE BE TOLD HOW MUCH A THREAT THIS IS TO DEMOCRACY?

MORE GROUPS, MORE QUANGOS, FEWER RIGHTS FOR THOSE WHO THINK VOTING IS GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE.

Come on Echo, do a story into this EU funded nightmare.

Bartonian says...
10:02am Mon 26 Apr 10

"COMMON PURPOSE"

SHOULDN'T WE BE TOLD HOW MUCH A THREAT THIS IS TO DEMOCRACY?

MORE GROUPS, MORE QUANGOS, FEWER RIGHTS FOR THOSE WHO THINK VOTING IS GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE.

Come on Echo, do a story into this EU funded nightmare.

StEmmosfire says...
10:22am Mon 26 Apr 10

How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.

freefinker says...
10:42am Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea.
Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms.
As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return.
Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also.
.
Oh dear, there’s nobody left.

The Wickham Man says...
10:44am Mon 26 Apr 10

Can we all just agree to stop using the meaningless phrase "Eco-town". This is just a new town, like Welwyn, Harlow, Stevenage Milton Keynes and all the rest. I think it was Eagle Star wanting to develop Micheldever who thought they could legitimise their idea by putting the word "Eco" in front of their plans....and ever since then dumb journalists have just parotted the phrase without ever asking "just explain what exactly is "Eco" about building a new town in the countryside? It's almost as stupid as pretending that a mass scrappage scheme is good for the environment"

Brite Spark says...
10:55am Mon 26 Apr 10

How about an Echo Town? I'm all for it!

freefinker says...
12:01pm Mon 26 Apr 10

Brite Spark wrote:
How about an Echo Town? I'm all for it!
Wot!! A town that's superficial, trivial, ill informed, badly researched - and above all reverberating with ever-repeating noise?
No thank you.

StEmmosfire says...
12:18pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea. Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms. As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return. Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also. . Oh dear, there’s nobody left.
Only need to back as far as 1997. Glad to help.

freefinker says...
12:49pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea. Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms. As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return. Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also. . Oh dear, there’s nobody left.
Only need to back as far as 1997. Glad to help.
.. but you clearly say "all the immigrants".
And, where is this "spend money refurbishing" coming from?
And why do you assume any home an immigrant uses will need refurbishment?
And, as for "move people back", who are you talking about?
Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes?
And where are these apparently homeless indigenous people now?
Perhaps you could enlighten us?
.
Or is it you just spout utter twaddle?
But then that’s par for the course from 99.9% of immigrant bashers.

StEmmosfire says...
12:53pm Mon 26 Apr 10

Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration.

Facts speak for themselves.

It's lefties like you that are ruining this country.

freefinker says...
12:56pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration.

Facts speak for themselves.

It's lefties like you that are ruining this country.
Notice you haven't answered ANY of my questions.

StEmmosfire says...
1:00pm Mon 26 Apr 10

66,000 immigrant households are established each year which has helped to price many British first-time buyers out of the market.

Fed up with the PC brigade and their British bashing.

StEmmosfire says...
1:01pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration. Facts speak for themselves. It's lefties like you that are ruining this country.
Notice you haven't answered ANY of my questions.
Noticed your avoiding the facts.

freefinker says...
1:24pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration. Facts speak for themselves. It's lefties like you that are ruining this country.
Notice you haven't answered ANY of my questions.
Noticed your avoiding the facts.
You still have not answered the questions.
And, I fear it's you who's bashing the British as we ARE a rag-bag collection of immigrant arrivals over several millennia. So every time you think you are just bashing the latest arrivals to our shores you are, in fact, bashing us all. It’s just you are too dumb to see it.
It is bigoted and intolerant attitudes, like yours, that is ultimately responsible for almost all the ethnic massacres and pogroms throughout history.

StEmmosfire says...
1:28pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea. Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms. As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return. Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also. . Oh dear, there’s nobody left.
Only need to back as far as 1997. Glad to help.
.. but you clearly say "all the immigrants". And, where is this "spend money refurbishing" coming from? And why do you assume any home an immigrant uses will need refurbishment? And, as for "move people back", who are you talking about? Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes? And where are these apparently homeless indigenous people now? Perhaps you could enlighten us? . Or is it you just spout utter twaddle? But then that’s par for the course from 99.9% of immigrant bashers.
Point 1.
Money would come from the savings of not building new towns in Green Spaces.
Point 2.
Have you driven through London recentley? Wembley especially.
Point 3.
The British first time buyer.
Point 4.
No, The figures are taken from properties built in the last 10 years.
Point 5.
What do you mean by indigenous? I'm guessing still living with Mum & Dad.

Glad to help,

StEmmosfire says...
1:31pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration. Facts speak for themselves. It's lefties like you that are ruining this country.
Notice you haven't answered ANY of my questions.
Noticed your avoiding the facts.
You still have not answered the questions. And, I fear it's you who's bashing the British as we ARE a rag-bag collection of immigrant arrivals over several millennia. So every time you think you are just bashing the latest arrivals to our shores you are, in fact, bashing us all. It’s just you are too dumb to see it. It is bigoted and intolerant attitudes, like yours, that is ultimately responsible for almost all the ethnic massacres and pogroms throughout history.
I'm pretty sure I said since 1997.

LOL

You have lost it freefinker, or is it Swampy?

freefinker says...
2:06pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea. Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms. As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return. Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also. . Oh dear, there’s nobody left.
Only need to back as far as 1997. Glad to help.
.. but you clearly say "all the immigrants". And, where is this "spend money refurbishing" coming from? And why do you assume any home an immigrant uses will need refurbishment? And, as for "move people back", who are you talking about? Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes? And where are these apparently homeless indigenous people now? Perhaps you could enlighten us? . Or is it you just spout utter twaddle? But then that’s par for the course from 99.9% of immigrant bashers.
Point 1.
Money would come from the savings of not building new towns in Green Spaces.
Point 2.
Have you driven through London recentley? Wembley especially.
Point 3.
The British first time buyer.
Point 4.
No, The figures are taken from properties built in the last 10 years.
Point 5.
What do you mean by indigenous? I'm guessing still living with Mum & Dad.

Glad to help,
1. But the new towns will be built by the private sector, ultimately for a profit. Why would they wish to invest this capital in "refurbishment" of our existing housing stock?
2. No, I haven't, and I don't see the relevance of one small area of the UK to the national housing debate.
3. But you said "move people back" - "back" implies the people you were talking about were not first time buyers.
4. Your reply does not answer my question "Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes?"
5. So they are not homeless then. And they haven't been forced out of their first time buyer homes have they?
.
The overwhelming reason why this country need more homes built is because of demographic changes to the size of the average "household". More people choose to live alone, more relationships split up, the elderly are no longer housed by their children, etc, etc. All this results in many more units of housing being needed per capita.
.
But your sort always needs to find a convenient scapegoat, and just like in previous generations you quite wrongly blame the most recent arrivals. While you may now have put a 1997 cut off point in your discredited argument, I’m quite sure in generations past you would have blamed the Asians, West Indians, Jews, Huguenots, Normans, Anglo Saxons … ad infinitum.

StEmmosfire says...
2:19pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: How about send home all the immigrants then spend money refurblishing all the run down areas that they took over and move people back.
What a good idea. Get them bleedin' Anglo Saxons back to the North German Plain from whence they came. Coming over here and nicking our farms. As the Romans have already left, the Celts will be able to return. Oh, wait a minute, them there Celts were immigrants as well. Let’s get rid of them also. . Oh dear, there’s nobody left.
Only need to back as far as 1997. Glad to help.
.. but you clearly say "all the immigrants". And, where is this "spend money refurbishing" coming from? And why do you assume any home an immigrant uses will need refurbishment? And, as for "move people back", who are you talking about? Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes? And where are these apparently homeless indigenous people now? Perhaps you could enlighten us? . Or is it you just spout utter twaddle? But then that’s par for the course from 99.9% of immigrant bashers.
Point 1. Money would come from the savings of not building new towns in Green Spaces. Point 2. Have you driven through London recentley? Wembley especially. Point 3. The British first time buyer. Point 4. No, The figures are taken from properties built in the last 10 years. Point 5. What do you mean by indigenous? I'm guessing still living with Mum & Dad. Glad to help,
1. But the new towns will be built by the private sector, ultimately for a profit. Why would they wish to invest this capital in "refurbishment" of our existing housing stock? 2. No, I haven't, and I don't see the relevance of one small area of the UK to the national housing debate. 3. But you said "move people back" - "back" implies the people you were talking about were not first time buyers. 4. Your reply does not answer my question "Are you telling us that immigrants have forced non-immigrants from their homes?" 5. So they are not homeless then. And they haven't been forced out of their first time buyer homes have they? . The overwhelming reason why this country need more homes built is because of demographic changes to the size of the average "household". More people choose to live alone, more relationships split up, the elderly are no longer housed by their children, etc, etc. All this results in many more units of housing being needed per capita. . But your sort always needs to find a convenient scapegoat, and just like in previous generations you quite wrongly blame the most recent arrivals. While you may now have put a 1997 cut off point in your discredited argument, I’m quite sure in generations past you would have blamed the Asians, West Indians, Jews, Huguenots, Normans, Anglo Saxons … ad infinitum.
Go on, your so close. Godwin is waiting for you.

StEmmosfire says...
2:42pm Mon 26 Apr 10

"discredited arguement"

Brilliant, I give you facts and figures and you have nothing apart from the rubbish you spill on www.imalimpleftie.co
m

freefinker says...
3:15pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
"discredited arguement"

Brilliant, I give you facts and figures and you have nothing apart from the rubbish you spill on www.imalimpleftie.co

m
Yes, discredited.
Apart from your racist rhetoric the only info you rely on is "Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration."
I don't have the faintest idea where you obtained this information - perhaps you can provide the relevant source.
.
And while you are about it, perhaps you can also tell us all where we will house the estimated 3 to 4 million UK citizens who will be deported back from the other EU countries after we have adopted your proposal to "send home all the immigrants".

StEmmosfire says...
3:28pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: "discredited arguement" Brilliant, I give you facts and figures and you have nothing apart from the rubbish you spill on www.imalimpleftie.co m
Yes, discredited. Apart from your racist rhetoric the only info you rely on is "Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration." I don't have the faintest idea where you obtained this information - perhaps you can provide the relevant source. . And while you are about it, perhaps you can also tell us all where we will house the estimated 3 to 4 million UK citizens who will be deported back from the other EU countries after we have adopted your proposal to "send home all the immigrants".
So my facts and figures are racist... I've heard it all now. There is more than enough evidence to suggest that immigration is unsustainable. We are building new towns to the cost of the green belt. Or we could just tarmac the entire country so we can accommodate the 66,000 and growing immigrant house holds a year as you lefties would like. But wait what about the environment? You lefties have a bit of a dilemma lol

freefinker says...
3:35pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
freefinker wrote:
StEmmosfire wrote: "discredited arguement" Brilliant, I give you facts and figures and you have nothing apart from the rubbish you spill on www.imalimpleftie.co m
Yes, discredited. Apart from your racist rhetoric the only info you rely on is "Four in ten homes built over the last 10 years have been needed because of immigration." I don't have the faintest idea where you obtained this information - perhaps you can provide the relevant source. . And while you are about it, perhaps you can also tell us all where we will house the estimated 3 to 4 million UK citizens who will be deported back from the other EU countries after we have adopted your proposal to "send home all the immigrants".
So my facts and figures are racist... I've heard it all now. There is more than enough evidence to suggest that immigration is unsustainable. We are building new towns to the cost of the green belt. Or we could just tarmac the entire country so we can accommodate the 66,000 and growing immigrant house holds a year as you lefties would like. But wait what about the environment? You lefties have a bit of a dilemma lol
No, your facts and figures require a sourse.
But your rhetoric is racist.
Again, you have failed to deal with the argument.
Where do we house all the UK citizens sent back from Europe?
Answers please.

StEmmosfire says...
4:11pm Mon 26 Apr 10

Fair enough, your right. How could the introduction of 3 million immigrants since 1997 have an affect on the need for additional housing in this country. I am clearly a racist for bringing up these facts and figures.

Lone Ranger says...
5:02pm Mon 26 Apr 10

freefinker wrote:
Brite Spark wrote:
How about an Echo Town? I'm all for it!
Wot!! A town that's superficial, trivial, ill informed, badly researched - and above all reverberating with ever-repeating noise?
No thank you.
We already have one.....its called Southampton and run by the Tories............en
ough said

freefinker says...
5:18pm Mon 26 Apr 10

StEmmosfire wrote:
Fair enough, your right. How could the introduction of 3 million immigrants since 1997 have an affect on the need for additional housing in this country. I am clearly a racist for bringing up these facts and figures.
Humm,
As you say "66,000 immigrant households are established each year"
x 13 years since 1997 = 850,000.
.
You also say "3 million immigrants since 1997". That's 3.5 people per immigrant “household”. Very strange as my limited anecdotal observations suggests the majority of the East European work-seekers in this country are without families here.
.
So, you are suggesting we replace these “immigrants” with at least an equal number of UK emigrants who will then be forced to return here because of reciprocal policies that will be affected EU nations.
.
Again, I challenge you to tell us all how this will in any way help with our housing shortages.
.
You just can’t get it into your brain cell that the housing shortage is NOT caused by immigration, but mainly by sociological demographic changes within the existing UK born population - and a lack of new-start housing developments.

StEmmosfire says...
9:37pm Mon 26 Apr 10

your correct in everyway Swampy.

lowe esteem says...
6:54pm Mon 3 May 10

Apart from Dancing, supporting flags,and being used for scaffolding, high jumps and vaults and giving their name to a very unusual cat what have the poles ever done for us?

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