Demographic of Kingsclere must be dealt with, says Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council leader

The leader of the borough council has insisted that Kingsclere “will need to grow”.

Ken Rhatigan made the remarks as the provision of housing across Basingstoke and Deane was discussed in a parish council meeting, with the borough council tasked by central Government with building 17,800 homes by 2039.

In the council’s rural spatial strategy – part of the update to its Local Plan – Kingsclere has been allocated 175 new houses, a growth of 13.1 per cent.

Elsewhere in the northern part of the borough, Whitchurch has been earmarked for 310 houses, Overton for 260, Oakley for 210, Old Basing for 190 and Bramley for 55.

In the smaller villages, Bishops Green, Burghclere and Silchester have all been allocated 15, Headley and Highclere 10, and zero for Ashford Hill and Woolton Hill.

Significantly, while Tadley – including Baughurst and Pamber Heath – has been allocated 945 houses, these are unlikely to be built due to its proximity to the AWE.

Instead, these houses will be distributed borough wide, depending on settlements’ ability to take more housing.

The above numbers are likely to change however as the Local Plan update progresses, and sites gain planning permission – with figures then reduced accordingly.

In a Kingsclere parish council meeting, Mr Rhatigan said it was vital that Kingsclere had new, affordable housing for young people.

He said: “As I reiterated last time I was here, Kingsclere will need to grow.

“The reality is we don’t have a young population with housing – they will all move out.

“The population is already getting older. One of the things you noticed at Remembrance Day was how many old people were there, and how few young.

“The demographic of this area is changing to become much older, and that needs to be dealt with.

“We need to give these people homes, otherwise they’ll move away to cheaper areas like Basingstoke, Newbury, and Andover.

“They’ll suck up the best of our youth.”

The most likely site for a new housing development in Kingsclere is Porch Farm, and Mr Rhatigan said he would be in favour of it as it is away from the village centre.

Concerns were raised over Kingsclere’s allocation by parish councillor Sue Adams, after the village made provision for around 50 homes in its neighbourhood plan.

She said: “Only Overton and Tadley in percentage terms have got a higher figure than us, so it’s quite a big, steep rise.”

Mrs Adams added that she wasn’t anti new housing, and wanted to see affordable housing – but expressed her concern that the village would end up with four- or five-bed houses.

However, Mr Rhatigan dismissed this, and insisted he would make sure the borough would provide smaller, two- or three-bed houses for young families.

The Conservative leader said he had pushed for a site off the A339 in Headley to be used for small houses – which is currently the subject of an appeal to the planning inspectorate to turn it into a travellers’ site.

He added: “Your council is committed to 40 per cent affordable homes, not all councils are.

“The real need in this village, and all the villages, is two- or three-bedroom homes.”