8th July 2009

As mentioned in my last update, I’m helping HBC with their draft core options and will be in the London Road pedestrian precinct this coming Friday, 10th July between 10 and 2 for any questions specific to the MDA.

I had a long walk through the Grainger site a couple of weeks ago, it was really interesting as I had never been through the whole site before, one of the unusual things I saw was a dormouse bridge (see above). These are strung between the trees to help the dormice travel from copse to copse safely when there are groundworks. They are aerial walkways similar to those used by red squirrels on the Isle of Wight.

Strictly nocturnal

The walkway, made of steel rope,  runs above any ground works and tied to trees on either side. Dormice live almost exclusively in trees and are trained to clutch branches in a vice-like grip from a very early age.

People will be lucky to see the rope bridge being used as Dormice spend three-quarters of their life asleep and are a strictly nocturnal species.

Dormice details The dormouse is a protected species It feeds on berries, nuts, pollen and insects It is arboreal, which means it tends to live in trees There are 14 species of nocturnal dormice worldwide The creatures resemble small squirrels rather than mice

There are no groundworks on the site as yet, but putting the bridges  in is part of the ecological mitigation that the developers are commited to.

 

 

Taylor Wimpey  (Bryant) are holding an open day at their Dukes Meadow site on  Sunday 19th July with BBQ and refreshments, this is for the whole community to attend.  So turn up and have a chat with them.

23rd June Update

I have been assisting Havant Borough Council with the public consultation for their Local Development Framework Draft Core Strategy. In English, this is an exercise each local authority has to go through (replacing the previous local plan process) to identify their preferred sites for development. The housing numbers have to meet the targets the government set in the recently approved South East Plan.
Anyway, I will be in Waterlooville precinct on Friday 10th July with Havant colleagues if any one has any specific questions to ask me.

There will be a West of Waterlooville forum on the 3rd of August which the local community groups will be invited to as usual.
I will be down on site tomorrow, any ineresting photos I’ll post next week.
Below is the plan for Taylor Wimpey phase 1 residential which is being built now.

Taylor Wimpey phase 1

This weeks updates

Taylor Wimpey (Bryant) are cracking on with the building off the Hambledon Road, the recent spell of good weather has helped.
Meanwhile, Grainger have been planting up small copse down near the gas compound to the south of their site as part of the ecological mitigation works.