Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s cabinet has been recommended to engage with a homebuilder regarding plans to regenerate an area of Winklebury.

The scrutiny committee of the council recommended the cabinet to engage with Vivid to consider the views of the committee following a meeting to be arranged.

However, councillors from the ward have made their reservations clear about the referral and said it “seems light in terms of its requests”.

READ MORE: Councillors worried residents concerns about Winklebury regeneration are being 'neglected' and 'ignored'

Speaking before the cabinet, Cllr Alex Lee, Labour councillor for Winklebury and Manydown ward, said: “I believe the referral listed on the papers seems a little light in terms of its request and it certainly misses a large number of stakeholders who can help make this review successful.

“Whilst Vivid will be leading this regeneration, many groups and individuals will be able to help shape this review into success. Portfolio holder, Hampshire County Council offices, local councillors from our council, the integrated care board and most importantly residents themselves through Winklebury and Manydown Community Action Group.

“Through your help, we can urge people to come together and provide a proper informed discussion on how any review should progress who should do what and by when. All that counsellors of opposing parties want is a successful outcome for our residents, one that can deliver more housing for people but more importantly an outcome that delivers the right infrastructure provides a benefit to the community and builds cohesion amongst residents for years to come.”

Cllr Abigail Compton-Burnett, Conservative councillor for Winklebury and Manydown ward, also spoke before the Cabinet and said she agrees to what Cllr Lee said.

“This has cross-party support among the counsellors in Winklebury and [I want to] echo counsellor Lee's comments about the importance of this to the community.”

Cllr Samuel Carr, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said the plan to regenerate Winklebury is taken because of significant levels of unadressed affordable housing in Winklebury.

He said: “[There were] just seven new affordable homes delivered in the ward over the last 15 years compared to more than 4000 across the borough in that same period. After an incredible amount of work and close collaboration with Basingstoke and Deane, Hampshire County Council and the integrated care service, it has now presented a once in a lifetime £60-million regeneration package that will transform Winklebury for the benefit of residents.

“These proposals are the result of years of extensive consultation and engagement with the community, including local residents, businesses, tenants of Winklebury and the Community Action Group. Continuous engagement has taken place with a host of key stakeholders throughout the formulation of this scheme.”

Cllr Carr also said Vivid has secured funding from Homes England to secure the scheme, but this finance is only guaranteed against a “non-negotiable start-on-site deadline”.

He added: There are time considerations which need to be considered. I hope that council will acknowledge that vivid and its partners have made significant steps and changes to Winklebury Regeneration Project as a result of the recent motion.”

Council leader Simon Bound also said the ward councillors and residents should recognise how far the discussion with Vivid has come.

SEE ALSO: What the people of Basingstoke think about Boris Johnson's resignation

Cllr Bound said: “There was not a health centre in the plans in 2015-16. There was not a community facility in those plans. And I would just like to put on record the work of the current and past ward councillors to make sure those additions would have appeared in that process.”

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support.

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from your area by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page.