McNicholas

Since being elected in 2016, I have worked tirelessly to remove and reduce HGV traffic on Kent Rd. My first action was to recognise that McNicholas Ltd. (later Kier Industries) were operating without HGV planning permission. Working with planning enforcement we were able to bring them to account. Their retrospective planning application was refused and subsequently I pushed for planning support against their appeal. This was rejected by the planning inspectorate in 2018 and resulted in them vacating the site in summer 2019.

Byronswell

Concurrently, I persuaded planning officers to support local residents against similar HGV operations by Byronswell. They were also operating without planning permission and I was able to give enough detail on movements (through close liaison with locals) to result in yet another HGV application refused.

DSG Car Sales

More recently I became aware of DSG car sales operating on the old McNicholas site without planning permission. Speaking directly to the business owner, I informed him that he was operating without planning permission. Despite promises of not requiring HGV operations, the owner went on to bring large vehicle transporters on site. At my direction, planning enforcement officers served notice on DSG. They subsequently applied for planning permission and through close conversations with planning officers, a recommendation for planning permission without HGV access was agreed and an additional condition to allow for 12 months only was approved by the planning panel.

Southern Water

I continue to contest the Southern Water decision to remove cake waste by HGV . As I write this, I have a meeting set up with SCC leadership to determine a once in a generation change by including the SW site into our new Southampton Local Plan. In line with this, I have scheduled subsequent meetings with SW to determine and influence their medium term plans for removal of waste.

I continue to hold them to account for failure to supply promised banksmen for larger vehicles and while so far their response has been disappointing their most recent formal apologies indicate they appear to be appear to be getting the message.

This has been my work; another candidate who has been absent from Southampton for the best part of a year -yet claims in their publicity to be working for Portswood all year round – is attempting to hang on my coat-tails and take credit for this themselves. This aspect of politics saddens me. Be in no doubt that it is my work that has achieved the improvements in the Kent road area and I will continue to do everything I can to remove the blight of HGVs for Kent Rd residents.