IT WAS with some dismay that I note that Eastleigh Borough Council have decided to proceed with the Stoneham Farm development.

Yet again it appears that our elected councillors have forgotten why they were elected - ‘to protect and represent the persons who placed their faith in their perceived election promises’.

The electorate, who one might assume represent a varied cross section of that community, showed by their protests that by a majority of some 93 per cent they were opposed to this scheme yet councillors voted 100 per cent to go ahead.

I am tempted to ask three questions. What happened to those election promises? Have Eastleigh Council approved this scheme purely for its financial return to the council?

I wonder how many of these elected councillors might have directly or indirectly a financial interest in this to go ahead.

To try and talk some sense into our planning department is as useful as talking to my dog.

At the public meeting held in Fleming Park I asked one of the planning department just to look outside the door at the traffic in Nightingale Avenue and Passfield Avenue only to be told ‘no need, we have done a traffic survey’.

But even these figures are misleading after all 17 cars in Chestnut Avenue heading east, 12 cars in Chestnut Avenue heading west, 19 cars in Stoneham Lane, plus perhaps four in Magpie Lane makes no less than 52 cars at this time trying to negotiate this one roundabout.

Within a mile of this roundabout there are five other roundabouts and two sets of light control junctions. The development proposes two more roundabouts - are we buying these wholesale?

This development if it does go ahead will see a village similar in size to Bishopstoke being planted in this area.

Can no-one with any sense see the outcome? Has no-one really accepted the increase in traffic or the need for jobs that this will create?

I believe this scheme must be referred to a public enquiry and I urge any interested party to join a motion to call for this.

Alan Dadswell, Eastleigh