FURTHER development in Whitehill and Bordon will create an “oversaturation of housing”, Whitehill Town Council has said in its response to East Hampshire District Council’s large development sites consultation.

Town councillors met to discuss the proposals and formulate a response to the questionnaire at the executive committee meeting last Wednesday (October 9).

They agreed the town council “does not support building additional houses on this site” and “any further development is not supported until the infrastructure is in place”, adding there is “scepticism on the opportunities that have not been delivered, in comparison to what has been promised”.

The response continued: “There is already slippage in the progress of delivery in the town, so this affects progress levels and targets, and could easily occur again.

“Energy efficiency needs to be a priority for all houses, while homes need to be affordable for local people to ensure they are not forced out of the area.”

Councillors raised concerns about the impact on the environment and nature, as well as questioning whether the water and sewage systems could cope with the new development and how it would affect the town’s air quality.

Councillor Andy Tree, leader of the town council, said: “The people of Whitehill & Bordon were promised a regenerated town with a new town centre, shops, cinema and facilities.

“We are pleased the new Oakmoor School is about to open and that the new six-lane swimming pool is scheduled to be opened in 2021.

“However, there is still a long way to go before people can be convinced the increase in housing to date has been worthwhile.”

Cllr Tree hopes town councillors have given a “genuine and robust argument” as to why “on this occasion, it is not appropriate to consider Whitehill & Bordon for this massive additional increase in housing”.