Apparently the new store will bring in up to 350 new jobs. That’s the good news.

The not so good news is that the site, the former Salvador Cetano site, off Hambledon Road is already a bit of a log jam for traffic.

With the plans that have been submitted they claim to have resolved the road access but I can’t see it. Access to the existing shops is already constrained. Add into the mix the  folks doing their weekly shop and you will just gridlock the area. Especially with a fair percentage of the residents of the new houses adding to the chaos.

How much additional parking is going to be available ?

Another titbit of good news is that the “recycling centre” is being moved. The chaos that waiting traffic cause today will not be missed. It’s not their fault. They were there first but then the planners saw fit to allow the building of all the new shops.

The new plans include the replacement of the recycling centre with a petrol station. This could just duplicate the misery unless the road access is dramatically improved.  At the end of the day this shopping area is a dead-end with two entrances and only one exit.

Message to the planners:

Please make sure you really fix the road access before you allow this new store to be built.

Madness !!!

And I say again, “Where is the supporting infrastructure ?”

How can an inspector give the go ahead when there are no details of how this is all going to work ?

One gets the feeling that they, the local authorities, are moving ahead with this, with their hands behind their backs, fingers crossed. Tunnel vision turned to the max as they convince themselves that it will all turn out alright.

As an observer I just know it’s going to be a disaster. As the green belt between Waterlooville “Newlands” and Fareham “New Town” is squeezed and the roads become jammed with the vehicles from 9,000 new homes.

Welcome to the Grave New World (Apologies: Strawbs)

Inspector gives backing for town north of Fareham – Politics – The News.

“Campaigners have finally scored a victory in a long-running battle over nuisance noise generated by traffic driving along the A3 and A3M.

After years of campaigning the Highways Agency has admitted it was wrong to ignore the problem, which has plagued people living in Havant and Waterlooville.

And the agency has pledged to investigate measures such as low-noise road surfacing to tackle the din.”

Great !!!

Now all that has to be sorted out is the increasing occurrence of emergency vehicle sirens around the A3M / B2150 junction.

Like all things processed by officialdom we will have to wait and see. Just hope I will live long enough to see some action.

Victory at last in long-running fight over A3 car noise – Transport – The News.

Apparently JD Wetherspoons have gained planning permission to open a pub in Waterlooville !!!

While I am not against the idea of another pub it beggars belief that one can be built next door to an existing business, The Heroes. Officials at JD Wetherspoon have confirmed the Mr Cheap site in London Road has now been signed over to the company.

Waterlooville is crying out for new businesses to rejuvenate the shopping centre, to encourage people to come and spend money. A new Wetherspoons pub will certainly draw people in. However, most of that business will be during the evenings when the rest of the shopping centre is closed. To me this makes no sense and is in fact asking for trouble.

Two pubs side by side spilling alcohol fueled revellers out into Waterlooville at closing time, I’m sure that the local police are viewing this new development with some disquiet.

I am sure that the local cafes are also viewing the prospects of a Wetherspoons on their doorsteps with some concern. Competition is fine but they can’t sell alcohol whereas Wetherspoons will. Some might say that the playing field is somewhat uneven.