Residents fume as Little London drowns in developments

Little London residents are now in the initial stages of forming a protest group to battle against rampant development threatening the very fabric of their community.

Frustration and concern have reached boiling point for many residents as numerous planning applications for new constructions flood in, threatening the village's historic charm, while straining its limited infrastructure.

In the past year alone, Little London has witnessed a surge in development proposals, ranging from residential units to commercial ventures.

READ MORE: Residents object to proposal for new houses in Tadley

Among the slew of applications are plans for multiple houses, battery storage facilities, and conversions of barns into business units and event venues.

While the residents were glad to see an application for planning in principle application to build seven to nine houses rejected by the council officers, they fear the applicant might go for an appeal against this decision.

Little London residents gathered outside the village hall to protest the overdevelopment of their neighbourhood (Image: Newsquest)

"It's not Little London anymore, it's Greater London," said Carol Donner, one of the many residents who are upset about the lack of balance in the number of new houses and infrastructure for the community.

"I nearly got hit the other day while entering the road because you nearly can’t see anything and there are so many cars now."

Carol said most of the new houses being built are being marketed to officers as affordable houses, although they are not small houses.

"I did a quick search on a property website and I stopped counting at 25 houses - including newly-built homes - that are for sale at £700,000 or more in a three-mile radius of Little London. Who’s going to live in these houses? People from London who have a free extra quid!

"By definition you cannot have affordable houses in these villages because we don’t have that infrastructure and we’ve never had it. You don’t get doctor’s appointments here unless your leg is hanging off or your eye is falling off. It’s absolutely beyond joke."

A plan to build three detached houses and replacement stables in College Farm in Silchester Road, is one of the many new applications in Little London that sparked a protest from residents.

Currently, there are 30 public letters objecting to this development, but the residents fear the council officers would turn a blind eye to their concerns.

"The infrastructure here is very limited," said Gary Ellis, another Little London resident.

"We are under siege with houses at the moment. There are nine down the road which have been approved. Four new houses are going up opposite to that. A plan for seven houses has been turned down, but it doesn’t mean that they won’t appeal against it. I don’t know how many have been built up in New Road already, probably 10. We are being punished for the borough’s lack of housing stock."

He said the village has started flooding because of the new developments.

"Nowadays they pump sewage into the stream down the Silchester Road regularly every couple of days. We are also at capacity in terms of traffic."

SEE ALSO: Latest Basingstoke borough council planning applications

Kerry Wiggins, another resident, said the new developments are eating the very heart of Little London.

"Because the council is going on a spree of approving these applications, everyone, who has got a piece of land, is thinking, 'I might as well try this'. And they come up with excuses like ‘I need to make my business viable’. They get the permission and then close down the business. But there is never any repercussion from the council for these actions."

Concerns were also raised about the accessibility of essential services, such as schools and healthcare, amidst the burgeoning population.

The residents met at the village hall on Monday, March 18, for the first time to discuss their concerns. They are now planning either to form a group, or work along Tadley and Pamber Rural Protection, which was successful in campaigning against large developments in Tadley area.