Creation of urban village at Milton is step too far

There is little doubt that after Covid and Brexit the hottest political debating point is the amount of housing shooting up in this region. Take a drive from Fareham to Chichester and, if you have not done it for a while, you will be staggered by the number of estates which have sprouted from nowhere to change the landscape forever.

Nowhere, it seems, is immune, and that, as we all know, includes Portsmouth – a desperately overcrowded, polluted but magnificent, little island served by just three roads of any significance.

This sceptred isle is bursting at the seams but still the powersthat-be – whether government or city council –insist targets for the building of new homes will be set and land found for them.

Which brings us to the beautiful St James’s Hospital site at Milton and the 200-home plan for its historic buildings and grounds.

Next week members of the council’s planning committee will decide whether this hugely controversial application will go ahead.

And don’t forget, there is another planning application for a further 107 homes to be considered for the same place eventually. But not next week because it is still being tweaked.

We believe the £55m PJ Livesey plan – the one to be debated next week – is a development too far. We feel it is over-intensive and will wreck one of Portsmouth’s major green lungs.

Isn’t it perverse that at a time when we are more aware than ever of the importance of using green areas for the sake of our mental and physical health, we are considering converting this key site into an urban village?

Planning officers have recommended approval. Should councillors overturn that recommendation and lose any appeal at a planning inquiry it could cost the authority dearly.

But isn’t that what democracy’s all about?