WHAT a tremendous opportunity for Southport.
A council investigation estimated that there is an urgent need for more than 3,000 homes in our town – especially those that younger Sandgrounders and first-time buyers can afford to move into.
So news that an estate featuring 650 homes – a third of them earmarked for social housing – can only be welcomed.
As ever though, the devil is often in the detail.
Many established Kew residents are already campaigning against the plans, insisting the infrastructure in the area will not be able to cope with the imposition of such a large scheme.
Debate has been raging, as the comments on the news forum www.southportvisiter.co.uk testify.
Over the past few years residents have campaigned for a community centre in Kew, to no avail. There is no promise that a centre would be included with the new plans.
Traffic pressures, and parking pressures, have also been issues in Kew which the Visiter has well documented. And a 650-home estate with all the young families that promises to bring would also raise questions over whether Kew Woods primary could provide enough places, or whether a new school would need to be built.
Questions are also being asked as to whether enough affordable homes are being allocated, and whether enough of these will be for first-time buyers rather than just social housing.
More new homes and more affordable housing is great news for Southport.
But local people are rightly asking some very searching questions about the issues that go with them.
Let’s hope residents are given the chance to fully influence the plans before they come to fruition.
Have your say by logging onto the Visiter's online forums by clicking here
- Post to:
del.icio.us
Digg
Newsvine
Nowpublic
Reddit
« Previous | Home | Next »
Meryl Hesketh wrote...
I say object to Sefton Councils housing proposals - they are not all what they appear! I myself and Emma Louis are both campaigning against the building of more than 650 new homes.
The reason we are campaigning is simple. Sefton Council are declaring the need for affordable housing but only 10 percent of these homes will be affordable! they have not drawn attention to this - I wonder why - possibly they may be Housing Association homes as well - so not realistic! Traffic issues is a major concern in the area the back moss roads throughout the rural community are very poorly maintained and I believe as do many residents that I have spoken to, that this can not support over an increase of at least 2000 cars! Also there is alot of speeding down the back roads which needs to be tackled as a priority of someone is going to get killed only last week on my way home did I pass 2 vehicles who had collided into each other and an ambulance and emergency services where on their way.
With regards to the new estate proposal in Kew it has not been mentioned to residents that sefton council are planning to build factories, a possible car show room and goodness knows what else which will add extra stress and congestion to the residents and the roads - this area is on the edge of Southport why does Sefton council want to place people in their so called Affordable Housing Scheme to an area where there are not enough amenities let alone no public transport. This will ruin the countryside - which they claim to be brown belt but borders green land and green belt!
Finally West Lancs District Council which borders the Kew Estate have not been kept informed fully of what is happening with regards to the proposals it seems Sefton Council believe they can do what they want, without any consultation or thought to local residents, the area suffers from subsidence and flooding not a great area to build new homes I would have thought alot of the area is built up with bungalows there is a good reason for this! I feel Councillor Fearn is very obstinate and not very caring to her constituents and does not care who she hurts in this new assignment she has taken on!
RESIDENTS ARE OBJECTING THIS IS A FACT! SO WE WILL FORWARD OUR PETITIONS TO SEFTON AND WEST LANCS PLANNING>
may be someone will listen to some sense!
Posted by: Meryl Hesketh | November 19, 2007 11:28 AM