Hampshire County Council to repair pothole-riddled road

As previously reported, the road leading to Hatch Park, a mobile home park off The Hatch Pub in Old Basing, is riddled with potholes and has been a persistent safety hazard.

It has been deteriorating for years, making access nearly impossible for elderly residents, particularly those with mobility issues, but with the road seemingly unregistered to anyone according to the Land Registry, there has been nobody to hold accountable for repairs, meaning it has just been left to crumble.

Until now.

The pothole-riddled road (Image: Newsquest)

Following pressure from residents and Alex Brewer, MP for North East Hampshire, Hampshire County Council has confirmed it will repair the road as a one-off gesture, despite not owning it.

Previously, former MP for Basingstoke, Maria Miller, looked into the matter but confirmed that the road is unregistered, meaning its legal owner has never been recorded with the Land Registry, and Hampshire County Council also washed its hands of the issue, with a spokesperson previously saying: "Based on the information available to us, the road mentioned is on unregistered land and therefore not the responsibility of the Highway Authority. We appreciate that this may be frustrating, but we can only direct our resources to the maintenance of roads and footways for which we are statutorily responsible."

The change of heart has been welcomed by residents, including David Garrard, 82, who has lived in Hatch Park since 2005.

He said: "It's good news, I got in touch with Alex Brewer and she got onto them and wrote back to say the council are going to repair the potholes on a one-off basis.

"I had been on to everyone, and I think the previous article kicked them up the backside.

"It is dangerous, a few people had tyres and wheels broken byt it, and it is especially difficult when you're walking at night."

The Gazette has contacted Hampshire County Council and Alex Brewer MP for a comment.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council said: “Hampshire County Council is carrying out a discretionary repair to the access road to Hatch Park.

"While the County Council has no legal responsibility for maintaining this private road, we have agreed to this one‑off repair in the interests of public safety.

"The work is planned to take place on March 20 and will include resurfacing the stretch of road from London Road to the caravan park entrance. All residents have been notified about the upcoming works by letter.”