HHRA Update 14 July 2025

Southern Water

Just to confirm: the water quality is now assessed as good.  The warning notices have not yet been removed (assuming anyone ever noticed them) but the prohibition was lifted on Thursday evening.

A reminder that if you wish to meet Southern Water and parley with them, you can do so this Thursday 17 July between 2.30 and 6pm at Wallington Village Hall Fareham PO16 8ST.  It is a ‘drop in’ session and you don’t have to book.

We also understand that our MP Dame Caroline Dinenage has organised a public meeting with Southern Water on 4 September.  To attend, and for further details, please follow this link:

https://www.facebook.com/100057747923304/posts/pfbid0Q1AE6BRmrdSmtQraBQ8TpgjWSDr7b6TeLWK28vCGmrq1y3anSib35xJ858585q7nl/?d=n

Lost keys

One of our members found a set of keys yesterday at the corner of Old Street and Fury Way.  If they are yours, or you know whose they are, please email this address and I will put you in touch. 

Local Government Re-organisation 

For avid followers (??) of the possible move to ‘unitary authorities’ (see our 1 July Update) a further option is being considered by Hampshire County Council this week.  It appears that there is a difference of opinion between the ten district councils who put together the proposals at the end of June and HCC and East Hampshire District Council.  If it is agreed by their cabinet on Friday, it will come out for consultation.  It will not replace the earlier options, but will add to them.

HHRA Update 9 July 2025

Cybercrime

It was good to see so many of you on Monday evening for the talk on cybercrime which, I think we would all agree, was sobering but very helpful.  Our excellent speaker Piers Rochford has sent the following links and advice, based on his talk:

The Little Book of Big Scams (https://www.hampshire.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/hampshire/advice/little-book-of-big-scams.pdf)

The Little Leaflet of Cyber Advice (I have spare hard copies of this – let me know if you would like us to drop one through your letterbox). (https://www.hampshire.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/media/downloads/hampshire/advice/blt-little-leaflet-of-cyber-advice.pdf)

Check if your email appears in compromised data: https://haveibeenpwned.com   

Forward SPAM SMS/Text Messages: 7726

Forward Phishing Emails: report@phishing.gov.uk  

CIFAS Protective Registration: https://www.cifas.org.uk/pr  

National Cyber Security Centre, Free Cyber Action Plan:  https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/actionplan  

Reporting: Action Fraud 0300 123 2040 or www.actionfraud.police.uk  

Contacting your bank fraud team: Telephone 159

From one of our members, a current scam is an apparent email from Gmail telling you that a ‘subpoena’ has been issued and requesting access to your account.

Planning matters

Bargate Homes Land West of Old Street: We understand that the delay getting the Bargate Old Street planning application to planning committee is that they are intending to submit further changes to the layout.  It is expected to go to the 13 August planning committee, 2pm at the civic centre.

Longfield Avenue: The outcome of the appeal on the application to build 1200 houses on Longfield Avenue has been published and it has been allowed, following a report to that effect from the Planning Inspectorate and subsequent approval by the Secretary of State.  It is a lengthy document: if you wish to read it, go to fareham.gov.uk Planning Search and look up P/20/0646/OA, scroll to the bottom where it refers to the Appeal, click and go to Documents.

Seafield Park P/25/0798/FP: This is an application from Crofton Saints FC for a post and rail fixed barrier, pathway/spectator hardstanding and other demountable elements to be erected and taken down on match days. If you are a regular user of Seafield Park, do have a look at it and let us know if you have views.

Sewage and related matters

Southern Water had hoped that the work to repair the sewer on Crofton Lane would be completed by the end of this week, but I understand from one of our members that it burst again yesterday. 

Some of you will have seen the orange notices which were placed along the promenades, advising of the temporary closure of the production area for bivalve molluscs from Browndown to Chilling: this was a result of the sewage event in Crofton Lane, but FBC environmental health advised me on Monday that tests on the sea water had produced no evidence requiring closure for swimming (only if you are a filter feeding bi valve mollusc).  However, the Environment Agency did issue an alert yesterday evening giving advice against bathing.  As ever, we must each exercise our own judgement.

Fire Safety

Some of you may have met the Fire & Rescue team in the village last week.  Do follow this link if you would like to check the advice they give about fire safety in the home: https://www.hantsfire.gov.uk/safety/home-safe-home/safe-and-well/

Pavement and promenade

A fairly rough and ready repair has been carried out to the broken areas of the promenade below Cliff Road and Cllr Pal Hayre is bringing pressure to bear on HCC regarding the need for a fundamental repair of the pavement and the supporting harbour wall opposite Haven House.

Vandalism

Evidence of the vandalism on the Cliff Road promenade remains only too obvious.  A reminder that, as well as ringing 101, you can use the Hampshire police website hampshire.police.uk and follow the Report a Crime links.

Osborne View rebuild

You may well have noticed that everything had gone very quiet on the Osborne View site.  It has been a challenging few weeks for the team there, but they are back on site this week and, all being well, major work should be apparent very soon.

Dog walking regulations

Following a suggestion by one of our members, we have sent a briefing paper to FBC pointing out the inconsistencies for the area from Monks Hill to Meon Shore and the less than obvious signage.  We have offered to participate in a review.

Swanwick Lodge replacement

You will recall that the reason HCC proposed closing Stubbington Study Centre was to rebuild Swanwick Lodge, which provides secure accommodation for children and young people, on the site.  Everyone agreed that Swanwick Lodge needed replacing, but not on the SSC site!

HCC have now agreed to rebuild the secure accommodation on the site of Henry Cort school, which it is proposed will be replaced with a larger school in Whiteley.  Some of us will draw a deep breath and observe that this is what many sensible people had suggested all along.

Local Government Reorganisation

Don’t forget that you have until 27 July to make your comments on the proposals for the creation of new unitary authorities replacing HCC and all the borough councils. The link is

https://ourplaceourfuture.commonplace.is/

Arthur’s Wood

You may have seen last month a report from FBC on community tree planting, including the area in Seafield Park which has been named Arthur’s Wood in memory of Hill Head councillor (and so much more) Arthur Mandry, who died last year: https://www.fareham.gov.uk/planning/trees/community_planting.aspx 

One of our members has taken pictures of the wildflowers currently in bloom and we have placed them on the Gallery section of www.hhra.org.uk – do have a look as they are absolutely beautiful.

Sewage

Crofton Lane to Remain Closed for Several Days

A sewage pipe under Crofton Lane near No.14 and the residential home on the corner with Hill Head Road burst at about 8.00 am on Tuesday 2 July causing smelly flooding along the road and into driveways.

By 7.30 pm this had largely been cleared up and the exact location of the burst had been found and marked.

Tankers will remain in the area overnight to manage the flows.

 Southern Water will be starting work on the repair tomorrow morning, for which Crofton Lane will remain closed. Traffic management will be in place while the road remains closed.

Southern Water team members will be back in the local area tomorrow morning to engage with residents and make sure they’re aware of the work which is happening.

Customers can still use their facilities as usual while Southern Water work to fix the issue.

Parts of the road had begun to subside. Staff at the scene thought the repair would take two to three days to complete but the most difficult part would be the restoration of the road surface.

It is understood that this incident has nothing to do with the work on the pumping station in the Salterns car park. Our information is that the whole local sewage system is under stress and the pipework is old.  (Some members will remember the prolonged and extensive work to repair the sewer from the Knights Bank pumping station to Old Street a few years ago.  And the recent work to repair the collapsed sewer in Old Street has just been completed – and the road re-opened – today).

Southern Water drop in event 17 July Wallington Village Hall PO16 8ST

Meanwhile, Southern Water have just issued a timely invitation to their drop-in event 2.30 – 6pm Thursday 17 July at Wallington village hall.  They invite us to ‘drop by and have a chat with our team’.  Please do.