Issues

Caroline says "It is important to me as your MP to have a strong grasp of the local issues that are particular to Gosport, Lee on the Solent, Stubbington and Hill Head.  There is a lot of work that needs doing, but this area has a lot of potential, and with hard work that potential can be fulfilled.

 

Some of the main local issues at the moment are as follows....

 

Peninsular Access:

20,000 commuters daily battle the congested A32 and Newgate Lane.  These inadequate roads are slowly choking Gosport, and the Constituency as a whole, to death.  This requires urgent action.  Caroline supports the £50,000 "Access to Gosport Study" now underway to look at a new western relief road (or Stubbington By-Pass) from Peel Common Roundabout to the A27/M27.   Caroline continues to fight for the funding and the Government support necessary to get these roads sorted out.  

 

HMS Sultan:

Caroline is committed to the fight to save HMS Sultan.  The Labour Government has announced it will move the Air Engineering School to RAF St Athan in Wales with the loss of hundreds of local jobs.  Please sign our petition at http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/HMS-Sultan.  See the Defence menu (left) for more info. 

 

Haslar:

While strongly of the view that Haslar Hospital should never have closed, Caroline supports the proposal by new owners, Our Enterprise company, to refurbish the existing site and set up a 'veterans village' for retirement and rehabilitation of retired and serving armed forces personnel.  The planned use of the site would create 600 new jobs and ensure that it continues to offer some level of medical care to the local community.

 

Daedalus:

Caroline will oppose any attempt to use this site as a giant housing estate.  With careful planning and the right support, Daedalus could be able to offer the employment and training opportunities that this area is so in need of.  Caroline says "My preference would be to see Daedalus become a centre for aviation excellence, bringing leading companies from around the world to this site.  I have already started talking to employers in this field to try and put this plan into action."  Caroline has already met with SEEDA and an agreement has been reached for a mini summit involving all the major parties to be held in the near future.

 

Bus Rapid Transit:

This is a controversial scheme and Caroline has met with local residents and activists to hear their views and opinions.  In short, the Government has made the sum of money available for the first stage of the scheme.  Sadly this funding could not be used on other, beneficial projects, such as improving the appalling A32.  If this money is not used here it will be taken away and spent on similar projects elsewhere in the country.  While recognising that there is no 'silver bullet' to the problems of access to the Gosport peninsular, this scheme could help, by offering a fast and reliable bus travel time to Fareham.

 

 

Rowner Regeneration Project:

Planning permission for the first Rowner Estate rebuild phase has now been approved.  Included in this is a new Tesco supermarket creating 225 much needed jobs.

 

http://www.rownerrenewal.com/project.html

 

Holbrook Leisure Centre:

Work continues to ensure Gosport has a modern new recreation centre the town can both afford and be proud of.  It will be bigger, better and completed in time for 2012 Olympics.

 

Waterfront Redevelopment:

A blueprint to turn the waterfront of Gosport into a multimillion pound regeneration area will be in place by June this year.  The proposed development stretches from the Royal Clarence Yard to the Haslar Marina and includes the High Street.