Council takes proactive approach to vision for M3 junction 7 land

A proactive strategic vision for land to the north of M3 junction 7 is being drawn up by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, focusing on the delivery of infrastructure needed to support residents’ quality of life, opportunities for new jobs and better facilities.

The move comes as the pace of development, on land identified in the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan to 2029, increases around this area with Manydown and Basingstoke Golf Course getting planning approvals recently and work starting at Hounsome Fields.

The strategic vision will build upon the infrastructure planning work already undertaken to support the Local Plan. Informing the next Local Plan in its earliest stages, this work will help to ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach, guiding any further development of the area in the future.

As the next Local Plan will create the blueprint for further development across the borough for years to come, a number of landowners in the area have already put forward sites to be considered for housing and business development in the future. Developers have also flagged other possible planning applications.

Working with partners, the council will take a comprehensive look at the area and its needs, to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place at the right time and it supports the future economic prosperity of the borough.

Cabinet Member for Planning, Infrastructure and Natural Environment Cllr Mark Ruffell said: “There are lots of possible future development proposals for this area that could come forward. For example, we know that there was a previous application for a hospital near junction 7 owing to its great strategic location. Public engagement is being carried out on future health services for north and mid Hampshire and we would like to see a new hospital in Basingstoke.

“It is crucial that we have a clear and joined up vision for the provision of infrastructure around the M3 junction 7 area as early as possible. We want to listen to the competing interests of residents and landowners to ensure that any further development of this area is well thought out. This will be a significant piece of work, and I look forward to discussing this in more detail with councillors at committee later this year.”

The council is already working with highway authorities to move forward the transport strategy for the borough. This includes looking at the future capacity of junction 7 and planning ahead for 21st century public ‘mass rapid’ transport to encourage people out of their cars, responding to the climate emergency. The strategic vision will look at issues such as the connectivity to the town centre along the A30 corridor, improving cycle and walking links and reducing bus journey times.

Considering wider needs such as health, education, water and sewerage, this coordinated and well thought through approach will help to highlight needs and future funding opportunities and help other local services to plan ahead in a coordinated way. It will also consider the need to retain the character and identity of villages in the area and ensure that addressing climate change is at the heart of any future proposals.

The council is in the very early stages of updating the Local Plan which will set out a strategy for meeting the borough’s needs, including homes and employment, beyond 2029. This is a lengthy and detailed process with the plan due for adoption around 2023.

Kent RNLI lifeguards rescue 25 and resuscitate a six-year-old during busiest few days on record

RNLI lifeguards working on two beaches in Thanet, Kent, have been describing unprecedented numbers of rescues they have carried out -seeing 24 people rescued in a single day at Ramsgate Main Beach.

The lifeguards also used their world-class training to perform a successful CPR on a six year old girl who had collapsed and stopped breathing at Botany Bay Beach. In addition, they rescued a man in his 50s, also at Botany Bay, who was out of his depth and being bashed against the landmark chalk sea stack to the west of the beach.

Figures just released show that on Friday 31 July, which HM Coastguard reported as having the highest number of call-outs in four years, RNLI lifeguards Neil Morgan and Chris Wilson, patrolling on Ramsgate Main Beach had to rescue 24 people who were in danger of being swept out to sea by rip currents.

Those rescued included children, adults and the elderly. In one incident, lifeguard Neil Morgan had to dive into the water with his rescue tube after spotting two children who had been caught in a rip current and were being swept towards the harbour entrance. He and Chris also escorted a further six children to safety.

In another incident lifeguards took to a rescue ATV (quad bike) to get close to a group of swimmers who were in danger and close to the harbour entrance and persuaded them to come to shore for their safety.

‘Those numbers are highly unusual,’ said RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Ellie Hopper. ‘That’s probably the most assists any of our lifeguards have had to make in a single day. Most of these people needed help after going too far out into the water and then realising they were going to get in trouble’.

Ramsgate Main is a popular sandy family beach next to the Royal Harbour and the Marina, but swimmers can often get caught in rip currents. These are strong currents running out to sea which can quickly drag people away from the shallows of the shoreline and out into deeper water. The fastest rips can reach 4-5mph, faster than an Olympic swimmer.

Two days later on the afternoon of Sunday 2 August, RNLI lifeguards at Botany Bay were called into action at 3pm after a six-year-old girl, who was paddling in the sea, suffered a seizure, fell unconscious and stopped breathing.

An off-duty doctor, Dr Shankari Maha, began CPR which was then taken over by RNLI Senior Lifeguard Ailsa MacRae and Lifeguard Amy Napier. Newly trained lifeguard Kane Philpott, on his second day in the role, arrived with the first aid responder bag and coordinated the ambulance response.

A short time afterwards the girl began breathing and lifeguards continued to administer oxygen and monitor her vital signs until handover to the paramedics. She was taken to hospital and has since recovered from her ordeal and returned home.

‘The lifeguards showed such courage and bravery,’ said Lifeguard Supervisor Ellie Hopper. ‘You have to be so confident in yourself and your first aid skills to do something like this and it says a lot about their training that they felt entirely comfortable working alongside a Clinical Lead GP to help save this young girl’s life’.

Earlier that same morning, also at Botany Bay, RNLI lifeguard Amy Napier, was alerted to a swimmer in difficulty after a man came running along the beach alerting her to someone stuck behind the distinctive chalk stack and struggling to keep his head above the water.

Amy immediately headed out on her rescue board and discovered the man, who was in his 50s, out of his depth and being battered by the waves against the chalk cliff. He was able to grab hold of the board and then Amy escorted him to shallower water where he was able to make it safely to shore.

‘We would always advise anyone heading to an RNLI lifeguarded beach to make sure you swim between the red and yellow flags where the lifeguards are patrolling and constantly observing,’ said Ellie Hopper.

‘Much of our work on the beaches is offering safety advice to the public, particularly about tide times and rip currents, but as these incidents show when something goes wrong our lifeguards use their knowledge and expertise to go straight into action’.