A VILLAGE green has been saved from a 20-metre high mobile phone being erected on the land following a row over the plans. Some residents living around Lockerley Green were shocked to discover a letter outlining plans to build the mast on the green. A pre-application letter from construction group, Galliford Try PLC, stated the mast would be needed to rollout smart energy metering access in areas where mobile signal is too weak for meters to work. It could also give improved coverage for voice and data services to O2 customers, according to the letter. However, after residents voiced their outrage over the proposals, a spokesperson from Cornerstone, which Galliford Try is an agent for, revealed it has agreed to spare the green and look at other sites for the mast.
A company at the forefront of producing biofuels is set to relocate to North Hampshire should plans by approved by Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC). Green Biofuels Limited is looking to relocate its head office from London to Nether Wallop as part of an overall trend of people and businesses heading to more rural areas – known as rural flight. If approved, the company will set up shop inside a former grain store south of the village. The plans are currently being considered by TVBC, with a decision to be made in due course. Biofuels are those produced from plants and other living organisms which are hoped to be one of the many ways of reducing global carbon dioxide emissions, as well as the production of other harmful products of fossil fuels.
As the dust settles from the results of this week’s local elections, some groups will be celebrating their victories, while others will be commiserating their losses. Eight parties and a number of independents were vying for your vote in the local elections, with votes taking place for the county council, borough council and a number of parish councils, as well as neighbourhood referendums for planning. Here’s our roundup of the winners and losers on the local election night:
Winners
The Conservatives The Conservative Party, both nationally and in Test Valley, has done very well in 2021’s local elections. Having won the Hartlepool by-election to elect a new MP, local conservatives were confident going into the elections in Test Valley.
PLANS to build a holding facility for up to 500 asylum seekers near the A303 have been abandoned by the Home Office. A piece of Ministry of Defence land south of the A303, near Barton Stacey, had been earmarked for the construction of portacabin-style accommodation for asylum seekers primarily from Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Eritrea. The Home Office had claimed that it would be providing safe accommodation for people who otherwise would have been “destitute”. But concerns about the plans were raised by politicians, residents and human rights groups - with Cllr Phil North, leader of Test Valley Borough Council, saying the site was “akin to an open prison” and was concerned about residents walking along the busy A303, causing road safety issues.
THE fate of The Hundred’s road closure in Romsey’s town centre should be decided in the summer, according to Hampshire County Council. The road closed to traffic on July 1 last year in a bid to help people socially distance. A county council consultation on traffic measures in Romsey has proposed keeping The Hundred closed and creating a one way system on nearby Portersbridge Street. Residents have now submitted their feedback on this idea. A council spokesperson confirmed the results of the survey will be examined by the “Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment in the summer, when a decision will be made”.