JOHN Prescott's legacy will be the policies which will have enormous impact on the quality of the environment in this part of Hampshire.
The examination in public into the south-east plan is continuing on its merry way in Guildford, threatening a wholsesale attack on the rural environment.
As if 28,900 houses per annum in the south-east by the existing plan were not enough, the obscure and unelected SEEDA has demanded that go up to 34,900, a 20 per cent increase.
Meanwhile the Government Office of the South-East has commissioned reports suggesting the figure of 80,000 for South Hampshire's share is too low and should be over 130,000 houses.
In Romsey we have fortunately so far been spared a Strategic Development Area like the 6,000 extra houses that Eastleigh has got for Hedge End but we have seen a government inspector impose an increase in the number of houses scheduled at Abbottswood from 500-800, a cool 60 per cent increase over and above what was already a high figure.
It is high time we told Labour and the Lib Dems for that matter, because they support regional government every bit as much, that we want planning powers restored to locally elected councils.
IAN BELL, Romsey.
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