Development Proposals Amport Parish

From:
Chris Harris
Chair, Amport Parish Council

To:
Residents of Amport and East Cholderton

Subject:
Why We Must Act Now to Protect Our Parish from Weyhill Overdevelopment

Dear Residents,

I write to you not with formality, but with urgency.

A proposal has been submitted to build 1,034 new homes in Weyhill, forming part of a much larger plan for nearly 3,000 dwellings across the area. This development will have direct and serious consequences for Amport and East Cholderton.

There has been no proper consultation with our communities, and the proposals are being rushed forward without adequate planning or transparency. Crucially, there is no credible evidence that this development is either sustainable or deliverable — and your Parish Council is actively raising these issues with Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) on your behalf.

We are not bystanders in this process. We share the same aquifer and live in the same sensitive landscape. The consequences — from pollution, sewage pressure, and environmental degradation, to infrastructure strain and loss of unique habitats — will affect our homes, our roads, and our quality of life.

⚠️ Sewage, Water and Environmental Impact

The land earmarked for development sits directly above a critical chalk aquifer — the very ground that filters and stores our local drinking water. Covering it in concrete and tarmac risks pollution and reduced aquifer recharge. This affects us all.

• Our drinking water is at risk. The aquifer supplies not just Weyhill and Amport and East Cholderton, but the wider region. Pollution from construction or run-off could have long-term consequences for our water quality and availability.

• The Pillhill Brook, one of the UK’s rare and fragile chalk streams, will be at serious risk. Already under pressure, it could face increased siltation and sewage overflow. Once this ecosystem is lost, it cannot be replaced or offset.

💰 Infrastructure Burdens – At Whose Cost?

The draft plan fails to ensure that green infrastructure and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) will be properly maintained or funded. If they are not, the cost — financially and environmentally — could fall on us as a community.

🏡 Why This Needs Your Voice Now

This development is being fast-tracked before the Test Valley Local Plan is even finalised, leaving little time for proper scrutiny. The complexity of the planning documents is overwhelming — yet their impact will be very real and very local.

That’s why we need you. Your voice. Your concern. Your objection.

We urge every resident to write to Test Valley Borough Council and to your local councillors. Ask the hard questions:

• Who will manage the sewage infrastructure?

• Why is there no strengthened water protection policy for this sensitive area?

• What guarantees exist for affordability and deliverability?

The Parish Council is working on your behalf — but the more voices they hear from Amport and East Cholderton residents directly, the more pressure we can apply.

🛑 This Isn’t Just a Planning Issue — It’s a Community Crisis in the Making

Once these homes are built, we cannot reverse the consequences. Our landscape, water, wildlife, and quality of life are at stake.

Please act now. Together, we can protect Amport and East Cholderton.

With thanks and urgency,
Chris Harris
Chair, Amport Parish Council