BUILDING a link road through the Camrose will render dozens of gardens on Mansfield Road unusable, one resident has said.

The resident of 23 years, who did not want to be named, told the Gazette that her house would be "lit up from every direction" by the noise and light pollution, as well as exhaust fumes.

She added that she did not know of any other houses in Basingstoke where main roads were at the front and back of properties.

Hampshire County Council are planning on building a road from Western Way to Winchester Road, via the Camrose ground, which would allow them to close the Western Way entry onto Brighton Hill roundabout. The road would also serve the new housing developments planned by Basron on the site.

"They are building it in our back gardens," the resident said of the controversial Camrose link road.

"[HCC] said they have done research on it recently and it won't have that much impact. But I disagree.

"I wouldn't be able to sit in the garden because of the fumes. In the winter, when it gets dark at 4.30pm, we are going to have car headlights lighting up our house from each direction."

She added that the new plans will turn Mansfield Road into a "rat run", saying that many will try and avoid the link road, whilst adding the extra journey time caused by closing the Western Way entry to the roundabout will affect fire engine response time for Brighton Hill.

Additionally, the resident says she is upset at the prospect of losing the football club. A regular frequenter of the social club that was on the site, she said that the Camrose was "more than just a football club".

Meanwhile, she was upset that there was no offline way of commenting on the plans, with phone lines at HCC not being answered.

This was also a concern for one Brighton Hill councillor, who said he was worried that people would not be able to engage with the public consultation.

Cllr Andy Konieczko (Lib Dem, Brighton Hill North) said that it it is “an interesting time” for Hampshire County Council to be undertaking the public consultation, adding that many residents won’t be aware of the plans.

“My concern is that people are not going to engage with it as much as normal,” he told the Gazette.

“How are people going to find out about this exhibition?

“We have asked Hampshire County Council if they will extend the exhibition by a month.”

Whilst residents in the area have had letters through their doors regarding the updates, Cllr Konieczko is concerned that because people are staying at home more often, they will be less likely to bump into neighbours who will talk about it with them. Additionally, the county council are unable to hold a public drop-in session.

He added that residents have been “quite critical” of the updated plans.

You can see the new plans, as well as having your say on it, by going to hants. gov.uk/transport/transportschemes/A30brightonhillroundabout.

  • Have something to say on the new proposals for Brighton Hill Roundabout? Whether it's the subways, the link road or anything else, email your views to ryan.evans@basingstokegazette.co.uk.