A BOROUGH councillor has said residents are owed an explanation about why “not a brick has been laid” on the Manydown development.

Cllr Sven Godesen was reacting to concerns of residents about land promoted for housing developments.

If all the sites promoted in the Old Basing ward are adopted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, more than 7,000 could be designated in the area.

And if proposed government changes to the planning system go ahead, sites included in a local plan could be given outline planning permission, that is, approval in principle.

Residents have raised concerns over the number of houses planned for the east of Basingstoke, with one saying some of the proposed developments are on land that floods annually.

Now Cllr Godesen said that wards around the borough “are in the same boat”, with the council scrambling to find enough houses to meet its needs. It is currently unable to demonstrate a five-year land supply to meet current and future housing needs.

Cllr Godesen said: “My main anger and irritation is that I really do feel that somebody should try and explain to myself, my residents and all the residents in the borough why it is that site of Manydown, which was bough in 1996 to be developed, that not a brick has been laid yet. I would be surprised if the reasons appear to be reasonable ones.”

Talking about the west of Basingstoke, he said: “I feel that some of the reasons have been manipulated to serve some of the wards over that side of the town.”

Cllr Godesen pointed out that certain areas, such as around Hounsome Fields, Kennel Farm and Basingstoke Golf Course, have “taken a caning”.

“It is time somebody explains why it is considered sacrosanct not to build on the other side of the M3,” he added.