Lib Dem Team Throw Out Utilita Bowl Plans

A 170 home plan at the Utilita Bowl has been rejected unanimously by the HEWEB Local Area Committee. 

The plan provided no social housing as the developer claimed it would not make the scheme financially viable. Objections were also raised at the environmental impact and the levels of traffic running through West End. 

Liz Jarvis, who gave a speech calling for the plans to be thrown out at last night’s meeting of the Hedge End, West End and Botley Committee at the Berry Theatre to discuss the application, commented:

“These plans were clearly unworkable, they would have had hugely negative impact on the local community and there was a worrying lack of information from the applicants. The housing scheme did not include any affordable housing, the hotel was poorly designed, the care home residents would have been located next to a very popular cricket and music venue, and there would have been an incredibly negative impact on the local environment including Telegraph Woods and noise, pollution, congestion and disruption for local residents.

“Over the past 18 months I’ve spoken to hundreds of residents in West End and received hundreds of emails, letters and survey responses from people telling me their concerns about these proposals. I’m very relieved that the Liberal Democrat borough councillors decided to reject them.”