HHRA Update 23 May 2025

Osborne View

As you may have seen, work is underway with the rebuilding of the Osborne View.  The vice chair or I will be meeting Turvey Construction Limited before their monthly site meeting and we are also on a WhatsApp group with the site manager, so we hope to be able to keep you in touch and to raise any concerns or questions you send to us via hillheadra@hhra.org.uk.

Hill Head Road closure

Hill Head Road between Old Street and Solent Road will be closed 2 – 6 June for work by Scottish & Southern Energy.

Consultations

Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) are a new system of plans for nature recovery covering the whole of England. They are a key mechanism for planning and delivering the National Nature Recovery Network. This consultation invites views on the draft strategy. 

https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/LNRS-2025

This is a really important initiative – do please make time to read it if you have an interest in our natural environment and do respond if you can.  Amongst other things, this will be relevant to future planning decisions. Consultation closes on 23 June 2025

Hampshire is also consulting on countryside access: https://www.hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/haveyoursay/consultations/countryside-access-plan-2025-35

Consultation closes 6 August 2025

Fareham is consulting about air quality:

https://lets-talk.fareham.gov.uk/consultation/LetsTalkAirQualityinFareham

Consultation closes 8 August 2025.

Hampshire & IoW Wildlife Trust (HIWWT)

I recently had a very helpful meeting with a senior manager from HIWWT about various initiatives they are taking in this area – if you would like more information, do email me on hillheadra@hhra.org.uk and I will attempt to summarise!

Bargate Homes planning application for houses on fields west of Old Street

There is nothing new to report since our last Update and we still expect it to go to the planning committee meeting on 16 July.

Longfield Avenue planning appeal: 1200 houses and infrastructure

A decision on this is expected by about 8 July.

Shellfish picking

We know how frustrating it is to see large numbers of people at low tide gathering shellfish, almost certainly for commercial use.

One of our members who raised concerns received the following reply from Senior Environmental Health Officer Wendy Shakespeare wshakespeare@fareham.gov.uk :  

With regards to shellfish hand gathering activities each year the food team undertake enforcement visits to the beach and where we are able, we take action. This may range from advice through to voluntary surrender or seizure, we usually do this in conjunction with Police and Southern IFCA officers.. We liaise with other agencies too such as GLAA GLAA. The issue of shellfish hand gathering is complex, from a food point of view, harvesting for personal consumption is not legislated so people can technically collect however much they want. Commercial harvesting comes with some caveats – they can only harvest filter feeding species from classified production areas (the areas may only be classified for certain species). Non filter feeders can be harvested outside of classified areas but they must be safe to place on the market. All commercial harvesting must be accompanied by a registration document. It is rare we find actual evidence of commercial activity.

We have many residents who provide information on harvesting activities and may send details of day/ time, numbers harvesting, types of species being collected, car number plates where it is safe to do so and I share this information with SIFCA, Police, Food Standards Agency Crime Unit and the GLAA to build up a picture of those involved in shellfish hand gathering activities and the scale of activity.

On occasions we have been involved in large multi-agency events, these are usually arranged by the police or GLAA and are a significant resource involving many officers so would only be done where the intelligence suggests this is warranted.

We also participate in multi-agency liaison groups and action groups when scheduled throughout the year to plan or discuss these activities and share intelligence.

Any litter issues or faeces on the pavement or layby can be reported to our streetscene department publicspacesfrontline@fareham.gov.uk  for cleansing. I’ve also forwarded your email to our enforcement team who look at littering.

Water Quality

Weekly checks of water quality by the Environment Agency commenced 15 May: see https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/

Waste management

Despite the article in the recent Fareham Today describing the introduction by 2026 of new waste management/recycling arrangements, an even more recent item on BBC News suggests it must await the completion of the new recycling facility at Eastleigh, so a 2027 rather than 2026 target date:

Fareham plastic and glass recycling scheme put on hold - BBC News - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgv7jj4lgyo?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwKZbW1jbGNrApltJWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEe5QjOs7kCuHAqat_y4K4ejmBUX95ys9M3bUAoxM0wlToCsiYcc6lqfXJAWRc_aem_jTQAJ_wOU7VJGcL7KAgQag

Scams

A couple of recent ones:

Aldi offering you a reclaim voucher – the email address makes it clear it certainly is not from Aldi

An offer of29,000 euros via Bitcoin.  No – really not.

Meetings

A reminder about forthcoming meetings, all 7.30pm on Monday at the catholic church hall Bells Lane:

• 7 July Piers Rochford South East Cyber Crime Unit - Hampshire

• 6 October Inspector Robert Kearley - our local police inspector

• 2 March Keith Thomas GAFIRS (Gosport & Fareham Inshore Rescue Service)