COUNCILLORS from Whitehill and Headley have joined ranks in opposing plans to build houses on land at Hollywater and Standford. The land in question stretches from New Hollywater School past Whitehill cemetery and Eveley (Bluebell) Wood to Hollywater crossroads and up to the Standford turn-off. Adam Carew who represents Whitehill and Bordon at district and county council levels, this week said: "We are deeply concerned about the future of the county council owned land at Hollywater and Standford. "Although its fate is yet to be decided the land is being looked at as part of the Whitehill-Bordon Opportunity. "We are putting down a marker here and now, to county and district councils to say a loud, emphatic 'no' to any plans they may have to use this land for housing. "We are totally opposed to any new house building on this valuable green space". Cllr Carew also said that the land was "beyond the settlement policy boundary" outside of Whitehill Parish and that "any such plans would run contrary to our town's Green Town Vision". The councillors believe that new developments should be concentrated on brownfield sites left vacated after the MOD's withdrawal, rather than on greenfield sites. Although it has been discussed, the inclusion of the Hollywater/Standford area in the Opportunity's masterplan does not mean for certain that it will be used for housing. There is the possibility that it could just be used for open space. Headley Parish councillor Gary Hopwood is also concerned, he said: "We are told that Bordon is set to double in size, well we do not want it expanding into Headley Parish. "The Standford area is a valuable part of our rural economy and forms the green gap between our two communities. "That's why we have joined fellow councillors in Whitehill and Bordon to oppose any plans the county council may have to sell this area off for housing. "It would be totally unacceptable". A spokesman for East Hampshire District Council said there had been no applications received to build on this piece of land and that if any proposals were submitted in future they would go down the normal routes like any other application.
