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HAMPSHIRE'S roads may seem at bursting point, schools congested and health services over-stretched, but there's one thing for certain: over the coming 20 years they are going to have to cope with even more people.

This week's proposed changes to the South East Plan confirmed that the county is going to have to build thousands more homes.

Even in the midst of the credit crunch and falling house prices, ministers say they are essential to help avoid an impending housing crisis, and make life easier for struggling first-time buyers.

But fitting enough new homes to fill a city almost as large as Southampton into the county is not going to be an easy task.

Just as important as the question of where to put them, is addressing the issue of how adding that many houses will impact on already strained infrastructures.

While many argue the sheer number of additional homes being suggested - 4,145 a year across south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight - is simply unattainable, there are concerns even from those who accept the figures.

Whereas civic chiefs in other areas were recoiling in horror at the numbers in the Government's revised South East Plan, our authorities are facing only relatively minor tweaks to the figures previously on the table.

Winchester and Test Valley have both been told they will have to provide an extra 25 homes a year each from figures suggested by a Government-appointed panel of planning inspectors.

That news was particularly pleasing for the man at the head of the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) - the body responsible for overseeing this development.

"It's because everything we put forward was strictly evidence-based," said PUSH chairman and leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Sean Woodward.

But as pleased as he is the Government has agreed the proposals put forward by authorities are realistic, he is anxious that they will only be achievable with massive central investment.

Cllr Woodward says £4billion is needed to provide the infrastructure to cope with the extra homes.

Around half of that would go on improving the transport system, while the rest is required to ensure the homes are served by schools, health services, community structures, parks, water supplies and flood defences.

"We will be looking for the Government to show a firm commitment to working with us to deliver the necessary infrastructure we need for a sustainable south Hampshire, where communities can develop and thrive," he said. "This obviously includes essential support mechanisms such as transport, water provision and sewerage, as well as a stable local economy and the health and education provision our residents will need.

"We are looking to the Government to commit the resources we need to develop and deliver the infrastructure and support these new homes will demand.

"We have kept our part of the bargain, and now the Government must keep theirs."

Cllr Woodward expressed the need for the infrastructure to be provided up front to the Minister for the South East, Jonathan Shaw, who visited Hampshire earlier this year.

"He didn't have his chequebook on him but he seemed to take it all in good heart and will speak to the right people," said Cllr Woodward.

But the leader of Hampshire County Council is certainly not optimistic the infrastructure will be forthcoming.

"Despite announcing an increase in house building targets, the Government has not come forward with any guarantees that it will be making available funding for the new roads, schools, health facilities and utilities that will be required to accompany new housing," said Councillor Ken Thornber.

"The positive in terms of infrastructure is that the Government has at least recognised the need for people to have access to open areas as they are strengthening the green infrastructure policy within the South East Plan.

"It is a shame that the same emphasis is not being placed on other services and facilities that residents will need.

"With the possibility of higher housing numbers hanging over our heads, one thing we will be pressing for is the need for infrastructure funding to stop our roads from becoming more congested and our services being overwhelmed due to increased demand."

That message is echoed by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE).

CPRE's south east director, Edward Dawson is worried that every revision of the figures sends them upwards, but also that nothing has yet been put in place to help the region cope.

"Housing something like a million people over the next 20 years in the south east may be a challenge too far," he said.

"We are concerned about the sheer scale of the development proposed, and its impact on the countryside and quality of life."

Mr Dawson says the CPRE understands the need for new housing, and broadly welcomes many of the proposals for strategic development areas - including those near Hedge End and Fareham.

"The distribution and location of those homes is obviously very important," he said.

"But we must be building communities which include the facilities people need.

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I don't think the Government can be relied on to provide that infrastructure, for all sorts of reasons.

"It's all very late, and very slow, and the Government is running out of money now.

We're talking about a 20-year plan, and there are going to be lots of different Governments over that time.

"It's a long-term plan and we need to make sure we get it right in the short-term."

Unfortunately, the short-term is fast disappearing.

The South East Plan talks of targets for house-building between 2006 and 2026, and yet we are two years into that period already and there is still squabbling about the figures.

The worry is, that once that fighting is resolved, will it already be too late to mean another 83,000 households can be fitted into Hampshire without our roads, schools and hospitals reaching their bursting points?

7:02am Sunday 20th July 2008

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