COUNCILLORS have been left angry and confused after it has been revealed that the borough council needs to pay extra funding before work can start on the Manydown development.

As it stands Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) and Hampshire County Council (HCC) are the joint owners of a long lease on 2,000 acres at Manydown, with plans to develop the land into garden communities in western Basingstoke.

The northern part of the land has already been allocated and a new community with more than 3,500 homes with a 250-acre countryside park will be created.

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The councils are considering how the land to the south should be developed, but it could see an even larger development with 10,000 homes proposed.

During a borough council cabinet meeting held on October 11, councillors were asked to approve extra emergency funding.

The total cost needed for the partnership is £1,453 million — 50 per cent of this is shared between BDBC and HCC. The borough council will need to pick up 25 per cent, which will total £360k.

Cllr Alex Lee said: “It was certainly a surprise to see this pop up on the agenda for discussion considering that we have only just recently had the Manydown overview committee last week where there was no apparent awareness that funding was going to be needed to support any additional activities.

“I have a real question first and that is when did officers know that funding was required because it was not discussed and I am concerned there are points in this document which are substantially different to the views we had only recently.

“I am also confused as to the amount of funding that is being requested for approval. The document makes it seems like it is close to £1.5 million requested for approval however the overall cost to the council £360k.

“What worries me as a new councillor is that the democratic process for which I was elected to uphold seems to be a front for smoke and mirrors.

“When I was 13, the land for Manydown was brought and I am now sat here talking about the project and I don’t want my grandchildren to be sat here discussing this in 30 years' time either.”

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The leader of the Labour group also shared his anger with the cabinet.

Cllr Andy McCormick added: “Frankly I am appalled that this decision has come out this late and I have spoken to other councillors not just in my party who agree with me. My questions are when did the council leader first know about this, why is this so late, how much has Manydown slipped this year and when can we expect the building to start?

“The impression I get from this is that this administration and its partners are treating the council a bit like a bank account where they can drift into the overdraft when they like. I will want some reassurance about where we are going with Manydown."

In response, a spokesperson for the council said there have been “ongoing discussions” regarding the matter between Basingstoke and Deane and Hampshire County Council.

The budget was approved.