BASINGSTOKE residents are being urged to have their say over the number of houses they believe should be built in Hampshire.

In a county-wide exercise, residents are being given a questionnaire from Hampshire County Council in a special edition of its magazine Hampshire Now.

The magazine details how the South East plan is being developed, which will set the number of homes to be built across the region.

Three options are put forward in the plan.

The first would see 25,500 homes provided in the region over a number of years. This would mean 5,500 houses each year in Hampshire - less than are currently being provided.

A second option would provide 28,000 homes each year in the region. This would mean 6,000 would be built in Hampshire.

But a third option, providing 32,000 homes across the region, would lead to 6,800 houses in Hampshire each year.

The questionnaire seeks views on a range of topics, including how many new homes should be built and how many of those should be on greenfield sites.

The magazine also raises concerns by the county council that the Government should provide cash for the infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewerage systems, schools and health facilities needed to go with new housing.

Cllr Ken Thornber, leader of the county authority, said: "The county council accepts there needs to be sufficient economic growth in Hampshire to keep communities vibrant and to meet the demands of local people.

"A large element of affordable housing is also required to help young people and others who are being priced out of the market.

"But any growth will have to be accompanied by adequate funding from the Government for investment in our roads, rail, water supply and sewerage, as well as in schools and hospitals."

First published: Monday, March 14, 2005

First published: Wednesday, March 16, 2005