Locals fuming at 'greedy' developers as tiny village overrun by Londoners pushing up prices

Locals fuming at 'greedy' developers as tiny village overrun by Londoners pushing up prices

WATCH: Liam Halligan talks to Britain's Newsroom about the housing crisis

GB News
George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 15/04/2024

- 18:00

Updated: 15/04/2024

- 18:03

Residents of the 'stoic' village of Little London said that 'traffic has doubled'

Residents of a quiet village are being "pushed out" by a flux of Londoners, causing house prices to skyrocket.

The Hampshire village, Little London has just one pub, no shop or street lights, and hosts a population of only a few hundred.


However, locals in the village near Basingstoke say wealthy people from the capital who are after a "country pad" are buying expensive houses in the area that they cannot afford.

Plans for new houses have caused outrage in the area, with concerns the landscape is being concreted over by "people who are being greedy."

Little London

Little London reportedly took its name from the flight of people escape

Google Maps

Among those concerned for the village is retired teacher Carol Donner, who has lived there for 13 years.

The 65 year-old said: "We have got this sign that says 'Welcome to Little London'. We were going to put a sign underneath it and say 'Twinned with Greater London'.

"'There's quite a few of us that are getting together and we have met up and come up with ideas and things we need to do. It's an ancient village, there's not many houses and it's got no infrastructure at all - we don't even have street lights.

"We have got nothing in the village at all and it's just being concreted over by people who are being greedy. They are coming from London because they want a country pad and they are just going to concrete over here."

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

\u200bThe Hampshire village only has a population of a few hundred

The Hampshire village only has a population of a few hundred

Google Maps

Data from Zoopla shows the average sold price for a property in Little London last year was £981,050, in a year that had two sales. The village reportedly takes its name from when Londoners deserted the capital for the area during the Great Plague in the 17th century.

Carpenter Tom Cullum has lived in Little London for 37 years and said: "It's just horrendous what's happening in this village. It's obvious what's happening, the village is being infilled by houses - really expensive houses - over £700,000 to £800,000 and they're filling in the spaces.

"It's just gone absolutely crazy in this village and the traffic has doubled - it's horrendous. It's almost a rat run now. The type of houses that are being built, local villagers couldn't afford them anyway.

"They're people from London, I would have thought - business people who want to come and live in a rural village."

Retired plumber Kevin Chatburn from neighbouring Chatley said: "All of the houses that are being proposed in Pamber are typically £750,000 to £1.25million so they're being purchased by people from outside the area.

"They are not providing dwellings for those who are already living in the area - particularly young people.

"I've got relatives in their 30s and they have all moved out of the area completely because they can't buy anything here."

Spokesperson from Pamber Parish Council Chris Gunnell said: "'There is no local need. At present there are at least 17 properties for sale in the area, there are 13 properties under construction in the parish and 30 yet to be constructed that have planning permission granted."

You may like