Micheldever new town proposal is for 20,000 homes say developers

In an exclusive report, Ireland's Business Post newspaper is reporting today that the Micheldever new town developer Michael O'Flynn and the billionaire John Magnier have 'teamed up to build a controversial new 20,000-home new town in rural England" on 4,200 acres of farmland owned by John Magnier around Micheldever. The two Irish businessmen had previously proposed that the new town would be 6,000 new homes on 1,250 acres of farmland.

The developers have also highlighted the potential "cross-boundary synergy" with the proposal for 3,000 homes on Popham airfield being proposed just over the local authority boundary in Basingstoke.

As reported in the Hampshire Chronicle last week, the developers have submitted their plans to the government's New Towns Task Force.

The report acknowledges that the plan is likely to face a fierce backlash locally, and quotes leader of Winchester City Council leader Cllr Martin Tod's statement in last week's Chronicle that the proposal is "not sustainable". It also describes our area as "one of the most picturesque parts of southern England."