A SENIOR opposition councillor has called on developers to fulfil their end of a deal over a large housing development.

Liberal Democrat city and county councillor Jackie Porter has hit out over the Eversley Gardens development, off Lovedon Lane in Kings Worthy, which was approved in September 2015.

As part of the planning approval, developers HAB Housing – which was set up by Grand Designs TV presenter Kevin McCloud – agreed Eversley Park would double in size, with a new allotment, cycle rack, play area, orchard and car park. The land would then be given to Kings Worthy Parish Council to protect it from future development.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Cllr Porter, who represents the village, said: “The Kings Worthy community chose this as their preferred site because the developer, HAB, offered so many community benefits. But to date, most of these have come to nought as work on site seems to have stopped.

“It did all seem too good to be true.

“We were promised a running track, allotments, orchard, electric cars for the whole community to use, field paths linking with other footpaths.”

A Liberal Democrat newsletter, which is circulated to residents at the development, added: “It is disappointing in the extreme to see that work to complete the new HAB development at Eversley Gardens, and the attached extension to the park, has ‘paused’ once again.

Hampshire Chronicle:

“The development is stuck in a financial dispute between HAB Land and HAB Housing.”

However, the newsletter does give some cause for hope.

It says councillors have been told by “a representative of HAB Housing” that they “hope that the promised community facilities would materialise as soon as the financial difficulties have been addressed”.

The Chronicle understands a group of residents living in the development are working to get progress from HAB Housing, but declined to comment ahead of a meeting with the firm.

However, a spokesman for HAB said: “HAB Housing is aware that completion of the community amenities is outstanding at present. HAB Land, the funders of the development and separate commercial entity to HAB Housing, are the funders of the development. HAB Housing is continuing to lobby the funders to complete the works, and working with them to find solutions to complete the site. HAB Housing is also continuing to keep the local residents informed of developments.”

As previously reported, the scheme was hailed as an environmentally friendly development, with 20 of the 50 homes being affordable.

The development was opened in Spring 2017 by then-mayor Cllr Jane Rutter and Kevin McCloud.

Hampshire Chronicle:

Mr McCloud said at the event: “You can’t whip people into being green, but you can give them lower carbon homes that use less energy and conserve water. But as well as that there will be a whole myriad of wildlife on this site.”