News: Flyer encourages villagers to raise their voices

On noticeboards around the village and in everyone’s postbox, it appeared without warning - a flyer calling all villagers to attend the Parish Council’s “informal meeting” on 22 Feb 2025.

It warns about the pre-application sent by the Parish Council to Test Valley Borough Council:

The Pre-Planning Application that was submitted by the Parish Council appears to cover the whole of the Painters field behind the Village Hall. We are in danger of having up to 200 houses forced upon the village.

It goes on to ask what the Parish Council has to hide and why they refuse to reveal the contents of the pre-app, which has been paid for out of parish funds.

On the referendum promised by the Strategic Working Group’s terms of reference, the flyer notes that so far the Parish Council has only said that a referendum may be required.

Finally it points out how swiftly the pre-app was produced and approved, saying:

The Pre App was rushed through by the SWG with approval from only 3 councillors and without review by the full Parish Council.

Those same 3 councillors [who] are on the waiting list for the downsize housing should recuse themselves from the decision that may benefit them.

It closes by encouraging villagers to “get involved and have a voice”.

The coming “informal meeting” may well be better attended even than the last. Cllr David Hall, who “will lead the discussion” according to the Chilbolton Community Land Trust site is likely to have his work cut out keeping villagers focussed on his planned topic of the 50-year vision for Chilbolton.