Tag: Leigh Park

Keep Up The Good Work


Many motorbike riders were punished, with the police stopping multiple and seizing vehicles on Saturday. Havant Police reported on Facebook: “One driver was stopped due to careless and inconsiderate driving and was arrested for failing to appear at court for drug driving.

“Another driver was found to have no insurance, his vehicle was seized and he was issued with six points and a £300 fine. Other drivers were dealt with for no seat belts, no MOT’s and keeping vehicles on the road without tax.”

The force added that visible police work would continue to reduce anti-social behaviour and keep residents safe.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/10/22/motorbike-riders-punished-after-careless-and-dangerous-driving-around-havant-thicket-and-leigh-park/content.html

It’s always good to see some positive results from the hard work that our local police put in.

Please carry on doing what you are doing, keep up the good work.

Police seize bikes in behaviour patrols


Police seized one Sciron bike from a rider who had no licence and no insurance. Another bike was confiscated after the rider was found to have been disqualified from driving.

They were summoned to court for a later date. Officers also chased a rider who was travelling on a moped which was believed to have been stolen.

The vehicle was recovered and the investigation is ongoing. Police were also involved responded to other offences including people driving through red lights.

https://app.portsmouth.co.uk/2023/09/24/police-seize-bikes-in-leigh-park-and-havant-thicket-area-in-anti-social-behaviour-patrols/content.html

Great news. Although these may not be the hoons disturbing my neighbourhood, I congratulate the police for curtailing their activities.

Keep up the good work. Now go get the morons disturbing my life.

Bonfire Night


Spent last evening at a firework display held on Stockheath Common, Leigh Park. This is the annual display that is put on by Havant Borough Council. As this was the first time that I had attended this event I really didn’t know what to expect.

Given the weather we have experienced over the last few days we were granted a dry but chilly evening. Temps down as low as 2degC. However the common was very squidgy and with the many hundreds of feet tramping around the fun fair the grassy ground was rapidly transformed in to mud.

Jungle Fever

However, despite the conditions underfoot the event was well attended and the council provided a good display. The following are a couple of shots, my first attempt at taking pictures of fireworks.

Leigh Park 2012

The images are not quite what I was expecting ………

Leigh Park 2012

but I am quite pleased with the overall results.

Leigh Park 2012

Taken using my Canon PowerShot A570 and all hand-held …. next time I’ll have a read of the manual and a practice before going at it for real.

Staunton Park


Saturday and we had blue skies and sunshine following several days of mist and murk. We paid the price of course with a chill wind blowing strongly.

I have my grandson over from Australia for a few weeks and he has a new camera to play with for the trip so we took the opportunity to get out and visited Staunton Park situated between Leigh Park and Rowlands Castle, near Havant.

We were hoping that the trees would be showing their autumn colours but we were somewhat disappointed. I think we were too early. However, we did enjoy the walk and took some photo’s.

A selection of snaps follows for your delectation, the first of which is a view over Leigh Lake.

Leigh Lake viewed from the site of William Henry Stone’s house.

The following photo shows part of the countryside that will over the next few years, planning consents permitting, become a fairly large reservoir
Although Stones house has long since been demolished there are many signs remaining of the old buildings. Not the least of which are the arches below.

Underneath The Arches

Of course the main reason we were there was to partake of the natural beauty. One aspect of the natural world which offers so much variety is that of the fungi.

Fungus

Grey Fungus

These cattle make for a quite peaceful scene even though the wind was blowing quite hard.

Longhorn Cattle

The following photo is of part of land which will eventually end up under water as part of a proposed new reservoir.

Site Of Future Reservoir

In the woodlands there are a number of items which are I believe intended as both art and education for children. There is no description near this but I believe that it is intended to let children hear magnified sounds of the woodland. It can be rotated through 360 degrees. I, for want of an alternative christened it “The Mukkinese Battle Horn” after the famous short film featuring Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan. Nearby there was another item which is a concave / convex mirror. We had much fun with it which I am sure the children would too.

Mukkinese Battle Horn ?

On Reflection

And to finish our walk, as we returned to the car park, this chap came to see us off. It was a shame that he was disappointed by the fact that we had no food to offer him. This is probably why he didn’t display his tail feathers.

Peacock

Dunsbury Hill Farm – New Development Proposal Affects on Waterlooville


Today I received a letter from HBC (Havant Borough Council) pertaining to the proposed development of the Dunsbury Hill Farm site, adjacent to the A3(M).

The description of the development is as follows:

Site Address: Dunsbury Hill Farm, Park Lane, Cowplain, Waterlooville

Proposed Development: Hybrid planning application comprising a part outline application relating to employment uses and a hotel with conference  facilities and a part detailed application for a new link road with bus gate to Woolston Road; together with landscaping, infrastructure and associated works.

I am sure that they don’t intend to hide what this development really means but on first reading I was quite happy to go along with it. After all a new hotel and conference centre would not increase the daily traffic levels and road traffic noise. The additional employment opportunities that this would bring is also to welcomed.

However, without reading the actual proposal one is not likely to see what this really is. In their own words …

… proposed development of agricultural land at Dunsbury Hill Farm, Havant into a business and technology park with hotel, conference facilities and associated infrastructure

The  development proposal includes the creation of a new roundabout and potential dualling of a section of the Hulbert Road. In addition there are plans to create a new parking area double the area of the current lay-bys this development will replace. All of this is an indication of the increased traffic that the developers are anticipating.
I have lived in this area since 1985. The survey that I had on my house at the time carries a final comment

shame about the noise from the motorway

Over the years  I have become aware of the increasing noise levels and the changing nature of the noise. Waterlooville, specifically Junction 3 (J3), the junction of the B2150 with the A3(M),  has become something of a hub for the emergency services. As a result anyone living near to this junction will have noticed the increased siren activity. If recent news articles are to be believed the newly opened Hindhead Tunnel is also contributing to increased noise levels along the A3(M) due to heavy goods traffic choosing the A3(M) in preference to the M3 now that the Hindhead traffic jams have been eliminated.
The application pack includes  tables indicating noise levels. The constant theme running through the comments section is

A3 constant and dominant.

What is wrong with these tables is that they are taking noise level reading from a point on the centre line of the A3(M) into the development area and on into Calshot Road & Park Lane areas of Leigh Park. No measurements seem to have been taken from the Waterlooville side of the A3(M).

Yet this is the area that will probably be most affected by the additional traffic generated by the new development.

The location of this new development makes total sense when you consider the easy access to the motorway. Allowing traffic to clear the area very quickly.  However, the very fact that all that traffic will be coming and going via J3 of the A3(M) is going to have a negative effect on the area.

Presumably the planners are thinking that this new development will provide jobs for the soon to be residents of the Berewood (ex Newlands) development on the opposite side of Waterlooville. Did they also consider the additional traffic that will inexorably be sucked across the town ? Such traffic will also be using the J3 roundabout.

I also have other questions, ones that I have asked in other of my posts …

  1. Are there any potential tenants who have committed to take up residence of these new units when they are built ?
  2. Has a major hotel chain registered any interest in running this proposed hotel and conference centre ?
  3. Was the land adjacent to Junction 2, Horndean, considered as the site for this development ? If it was, why was it rejected since there is less potential for affecting local residents and the motorway access is just as good ?I am assuming that the answer is that the land comes under East Hampshire District Council rather than Portsmouth City Council.

I am the first to bemoan the fact that the planners don’t seem to have done much to provide employment for the residents of Waterlooville. So I am loath to be totally negative about this proposed development. However, I don’t believe that the planners have got the true measure of the impact that this development will have.

As usual the only people who will truly gain from this are the developers and, for a short while, the folks employed to carry out the construction.

‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons – That’s Tough


‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons.

Once again the News is printing non stories. Since when did a disobedient child become news worthy ? Since they have, I felt the urge to comment.

The 15-year-old, who lives with his parents at Cheriton Close, Leigh Park, said: ‘It’s stupid because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my hair.

‘It’s fashionable and a lot of my friends have the same haircut, yet I’m the only one who has been punished.

I’ve got news for you, Master Davies, nobody cares if you think there’s anything wrong with your hair or not.  All schools have rules regarding dress. Not all of them enforce those rules as firmly as Park Community School, perhaps they should.

Personally I think that there are probably other issues behind this story. At least one of the comments attached to the article indicate issues with this lad outside of school.

‘I feel gutted because now I’m not in lessons with my friends and it’s going to be harder to concentrate on my work being sat alone.’

Why does being in a quiet room on your own make concentration difficult ? Surely having no mates to distract you, no mates for you to play about with, should help the concentration.

Billy’s mum Jackie Davies said: ‘The school is being pedantic.

Mrs Davies, That’s their job. Look it up.

Many people will argue that the style of his hair is not important when weighed against his education. In life we run into many such rules and we chooses to comply or resist. Whatever we choose we have to accept that there are consequences.

Headteacher Chris Anders said: ‘We’re an outstanding school and proud of our high standards.

‘Parents are well aware of the uniform policy and support it.

‘It’s always a shame when students do not follow rules but as adults working with children and young people we know it is important to be clear about the consequences of actions and to follow through when rules are broken.’

Just once in a while I would like to hear that parents of perfidious miscreants are actually supporting the schools, the teachers and the idea that their child goes to school to learn, not for some spurious fashion parade.

‘Extreme’ haircut gets Leigh Park teenager kicked out of his lessons – Education – Portsmouth News.