Work has started on new facilities near the Community Hall. The first phase involves installing a hard surface in place of the grassed area behind The Base which will improve vehicle and disabled access to the rear of the building. Two practice basketball hoops will be provided. The second phase, which will be carried out in September, involves the conversion of one of the four hard tennis courts to a five a side football pitch which will also have facilities for playing basketball.
For a number of years we have had concerns about the condition of the War Memorial. Sections of stonework on the memorial itself and on the surrounding paving have deteriorated and much of the lettering has faded or become discoloured. We had hoped to restore the memorial before Remembrance Sunday this November but the small number of specialist contractors who do this type of work are all fully booked. The grassed area and flowerbeds are being tidied up now and the work on the memorial and garden fencing is being booked to be carried out in 2003.
Prior to commencing building houses at Holt Lane contractors are currently working on installing underground power cables which will replace the overhead pylons between The Cottages and the railway. The temporary disruption to the electricity supply that this involves can only take place in the summer when demand for electricity is low. The work is expected to take until the end of September and, because electricity is an essential service, the contractors are permitted to work on Sundays. Work to construct the access road to the new estate, which will be known as Holt Park, will be starting shortly and eventually access to the southern end of Holt Lane will be from a new junction on Holt Park. The building of the houses themselves is expected to start in November and will not involve Sunday working.
Hart District Council have refused permission for the revised application to build twelve houses on the site of Pinecroft and Hazelcroft in Station Road and the developer has lodged an appeal against the refusal of both this application and the original one.
Barratts appeal in connection with The Foundry site will be heard at a Public inquiry on 24th October.
The next meeting of the Parish Council is on Wednesday 4th September at the Community Hall at 8pm.
Antony Hunter – Parish Councillor