Controversial Ashford Hill housing scheme approved

Councillor under fire for deciding casting vote

SHOCK waves reverberated around a borough council chamber last Wednesday after an Ashford Hill councillor used his casting vote in favour of a controversial housing development in the village – just five minutes after he had voted against the scheme.

The approved application for 35 houses on a greenfield site opposite Ashford Hill Primary School – jointly submitted by Vortal Properties Ltd and Charles Church – went before Basingstoke and Deane borough councillors.

As one of two Conservative councillors for the ward, during a tied 5-5 vote, Donald Sherlock, voted against the application, situated outside the settlement policy boundary.

As chairman of the development control committee, his casting vote was then called on to decide the application and, after hesitating, he voted in favour – followed by gasps from some 40 Ashford Hill villagers at the meeting, with comments including “our own councillor!”.

Mr Sherlock’s deciding vote took place shortly after the other Kingsclere ward councillor, Cathy Osselton, presented a strong case against the development.

She pointed out it would be situated on a dangerous road outside the school, with deep concerns about flooding and sewage effluent to be pumped into Burghclere Brook.

“Why should the people of Ashford Hill have this obviously unsustainable site imposed on them because of our borough’s land shortage?” said Mrs Osselton.

Representing the 92 per cent of opposing villagers, Nicola Loxton and Andy Colquhoun said nine reasons to turn down the application included that a proposed car park opposite the school would create queuing traffic close to the brow of a hill, in a known speeding spot.

Representing the developers, Laura Graham said, after consultations, planners had recommended the application be approved.

She said it would deliver much-needed housing to the borough, including 40 per cent affordable.

After the meeting, Mr Sherlock said he could “understand” there was a lot of feeling in the village about the application.

He said: “When I cast my first vote against, I viewed the application as a local ward councillor from a local residents’ perspective.

“Unfortunately that was not enough to give a majority and the outcome was a tied vote,” he said.

“I was then required to vote in my separate role as chair of the committee, where I have to consider planning policy, the evidence in front of me and my overriding duty, under our constitution, to the borough as a whole to meet its housing and planning objectives.”

Afterwards, Mrs Osselton said she was extremely disappointed at the result and upset for villagers, who had put forward a very good case.