New proposals for energy-efficient houses in Hacklinge face local opposition due to traffic concerns and suitability of the site
Hacklinge: Residents are not too happy about the new plans for energy-efficient houses. They think building them where the Elite car wash is now just doesn’t make sense, especially since it’s a spot known for accidents.
The idea is to replace the car wash with seven new homes. These would be two-bedroom houses with parking and bike storage. Sounds nice, right? But folks are worried about the extra traffic it could bring.
The site used to be a petrol station and now has the car wash. The proposal is to tear it down and put up these homes, which are designed to use a lot less energy—up to 85% less, in fact.
But neighbors are raising their voices. One resident, Jenny, pointed out that seven houses on such a small plot won’t help anyone. She’s concerned about the road being dangerous as it is.
Another local, Pam, echoed those worries, saying the area is already a hotspot for accidents. She believes adding more houses will just make things worse with more cars trying to turn into driveways.
Max, another resident, thinks the site should stay commercial. He mentioned that there are already plenty of housing projects happening nearby, so why add more?
The planning folks say the houses will fit in nicely and that traffic will actually decrease. They argue that people are changing how they live post-pandemic, with many preferring to work from home and shop online.
Plus, there’s a bus stop not too far away, and local amenities are within walking distance. A decision on this proposal is expected by February 15, so we’ll see what happens!
