Walking

As a keen walker who chose to live in in close proximity to the countryside for the amenity value of hiking directly from the door (thus minimising car pollution by not driving to the start of a walk), I'm particularly concerned about this area of countryside being given over to housing. I and my family regularly walk both the unmade section of Drove Road and the fieldside path in this elevated location, primarily for their peacefulness and far-reaching views. This is even more the case during the winter months when low-lying areas like Chilbolton Cow Common become waterlogged and spongy, and West Down becomes impassably muddy where trodden by grazing cattle. The extensive area of proposed new housing would completely take away from its amenity value of countryside walking, an impact that has important physical and mental health implications (walking in nature is well known to have both preventative and therapeutic health benefits).