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School Wins thanks to villagers' energy saving efforts
A SOLAR panel and a wind turbine have been donated to Overton C E Primary School after the village's residents won an energy-saving competition.
Alcohol Consumption in Public Places - Poll
Have your say as to whether Overton should have designated alcohol free areas to stop alcohol consumption and related anti-social behaviour.
HART Trust closes to new admissions
After 12 years HART Wildlife Trust is no longer operating from its address at Dellands, Overton, and is closed to all new admissions.
Hall Garden Going for Gold
St Mary's Hall community garden in Overton is set to go for gold with its garden in the Basingtoke in Bloom 2008.
Overton Hill Development Update – May 2008
BRAND NEW SHOW HOMES OPENING THIS WEEKEND – 31st May!
New-look traffic plan unveiled to public
The plans to enhance the traffic in and around Overton were unveiled to the public at the annual parish meeting.
New Editor for News & Views
Chris Penney takes over the reigns as the editor of the Parish Council newsletter News & Views.
Overton mums step it out to raise £4,500
A septet of Overton mums moonwalked in their bras on Saturday night to raise money for Breast Cancer Research.
Bus service moves bays
Waiting for a bus to North Hampshire villages is set to become a lot more pleasant.
Sat-nav systems leading lorries down narrow roads
Lorry drivers who mistakenly head into Overton guided by their satellite navigation systems are causing havoc in the village.
School Wins thanks to villagers' energy saving efforts
The Switch on to Climate Change competition, run by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, encouraged people to claim free energy-saving light bulbs. Overton residents claimed more than any other ward in the borough, winning a £1,000 prize, which had to be spent on a green initiative.
Cllrs Ian Tilbury and Paula Baker decided that the grant would be best spent on the solar panel and wind turbine, which will be erected at the school, as well as several books that will be donated to the school's library as well as the main Overton library.
The turbine and the solar panel will connect to a meter that shows the pupils exactly how much power they generate over a period of time.
Cllr Tilbury said: "Obviously the people who claimed the bulbs are saving power, and now we've been able to buy the equipment so it's a win-win situation really."
By Joe Faretra
Andover Advertiser
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Aug 08
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Alcohol Consumption in Public Places - Poll
Drop by at Richard Baldwin's post on the Forum and click here to give us your vote.
May 08
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HART Trust closes to new admissions
HART founder June Gibbs has stated on the website that in spite of the increasing pressures she endured through the ever increasing workload, her main reason for stopping is to look after her elderly mother.
The creatures currently being cared for by the trust will be released as soon as possible.
The trustees have had a meeting to discuss the future of the trust, and the intention is that all existing fundraising operations will continue with the funds being channelled into building the new hospital and education centre, particularly through the Alton shop and website.
The trust hopes that the RSPCA and other wildlife charities will be able to offer help until they resume operations from an alternative site.
It will continue offering advice and information on wildlife care through the website and by visiting schools and other organisations.
In the meantime, any casualties should be taken to the nearest vets as the Dellands site no longer has the facilities to deal with them.
For further information visit the trust's website www.hartwildlife.org.uk
Andover Advertiser
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May 08
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Hall Garden Going for Gold
 Last year the garden narrowly missed out on the highest accolade by only one-and-a-half points, which saw them slip into the silver position.
But this year - armed with their secret weapon, 13-time Chelsea Gold medal winners, Hardy's - they are hoping that they can go one better.
Basingstoke in Bloom encourages people to enhance the appearance of their local environment, bringing people together to take pride in their place.
 Peter Baker of the hall committee was delighted at how well the plants were coming along, and said that the garden was really taking shape in time for the competition.
"Last year the people of Overton won six prizes in different categories," he said.
"Our St Mary's Garden volunteers are working hard to take the coveted top prize in the community garden section of Basingstoke in Bloom."
By Joe Faretra
Andover Advertiser
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Pictures by Terry Bond
May 08
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Overton Hill Development Update – May 2008
The first of four brand new show homes at Overton Hill opens this weekend – 31st May – at 12 noon. The fully furnished two bedroom Clover is available to view alongside the three bedroom Rosa which is also furnished as the sales office. The one bedroom Erica and three bedroom Snowberry show homes will be available towards the end of June. Although the show homes are not yet for sale, they represent the Rosa and Clover homes which are among those currently available for sale.
Plot 47 - ‘The Clover’ - £199,950
The two bedroom Clover includes a reception hall, cloakroom and kitchen to the front of the property, with the spacious lounge/diner at the rear offering access to the garden through casement doors. Upstairs the master bedroom with en suite and fitted wardrobes overlooks the rear garden with the second double bedroom at the front, together with the family bathroom off the landing. The plot also includes a single garage.
Plot 52 – ‘The Rosa’- £369,950
The Rosa is available as a three or four bedroom home depending on the position on site. The downstairs accommodation is the same for both versions and includes a reception hall, cloakroom, spacious kitchen/breakfast room, lounge (with casement doors to the garden) and separate dining room. Upstairs the master bedroom with en suite also has fitted wardrobes. Plot 52 benefits from a further three bedrooms and family bathroom to complete the accommodation. The plot also includes a single garage and parking.
Other homes currently available include the three bedroom Snowberry at £299,950, the three bedroom version of the Rosa at £335,000 and the four bedroom Clematis at £309,950. A range of homes from one to five bedrooms are being built on this development, for more information, and to register your interest in this second phase at Overton Hill, please visit the sales centre which is open daily 10am-5pm, call our Home Buying Advisors on 01256 772078 or email overtonhill@croudacehomes.co.uk. For details of homes currently available on all our developments, visit the website at www.croudacehomes.co.uk.
May 08
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New-look traffic plan unveiled to public
There have been 11 key areas which it is hoped will assist pedestrians in the growing village.
The money for the plans will be funded by the S106 - funds given to the village by the developers at Foxdown and Overton Hill.
Speaking to the Andover Advertiser after the meeting Overton parish council chairman Alan Whitney said: "We seem to be bedevilled by a medieval street plan. If we want to go to the school we have got to cross the main road, if we want to go to the church we have got to cross a main road.
"We have never had a proper crossing before.
"This is not the end of the plans, we will have more consultations with the parishioners."
Mr Whitney said a lot of the proposals came about courtesy of the feedback from the have your say' questionnaire which was distributed among the parishioners. The village is also one selected for the village 30 plan, in which the council is aiming to extend the 30mph zones out of the village.
The plans, which are due to be displayed at Overton library, include the previously reported pedestrian phase at the traffic lights in the town centre, a series of informal road crossings and pedestrian improvements on Station Road.
Work is anticipated to be implemented in phases, commencing towards the end of summer or autumn.
By Joe Faretra,
Andover Advertiser
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May 08
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New Editor for News & Views
After 12 years of service, the Overton News and Views editor Teresa Reynolds has stepped down from her role. She was presented with a framed picture and flowers at the recent Overton annual parish meeting at St Luke's Hall.
May 08
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Overton mums step it out to raise £4,500
The women took part in London's Playtex MoonWalk joining 15,000 others raising as much money as possible.
They walked 26.2 miles and had a great time' raising over £4,500.
The marathon took the walkers through Hyde Park, up and down the River Thames and through St James' Park before returning to Hyde Park.
Starting at about 11.30pm it took the Overton team around six-and-a-half hours to complete the course.
Zoe Taylor, one of the Overton seven, loved every minute of it. "It was such a fantastic experience and it was just amazing to see thousands of people all getting into the spirit of it," she said.
"Although it was a bit cold it didn't stop us enjoying the walk. And because we were all there raising money for just one charity it made what we were doing all the more poignant and significant."
Other mums making up the seven were Jane McDevitt, Lesley Howse, Karen Watts, Sarah Wiles, Naomi Conneely and Dawn Patel.
Andover Advertiser
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May 08
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Bus service moves bays
Following protests from residents, the Basingstoke bus stop servicing Newfound, Overton and Whitchurch has been moved to stand Q at the Basingstoke bus station, where there is shelter and a bench.
(...and sometimes a bus.)
May 08
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Sat-nav systems leading lorries down narrow roads
Since the increased use of the systems, villagers have noticed more heavy goods vehicles travelling through unsuitably narrow roads with tight bends.
Bemused drivers have had to ask for villagers' help after being incorrectly sent to Overton by the systems, or have had to back out of narrow roads after realising they cannot pass.
The problem has become so bad that, after complaints from residents, Hampshire County Council installed "No Heavy Goods Vehicles" signs in hot spots.
Terry Robinson, 70, lives in The Green, which overlooks two of the problem roads - Battens Avenue and Waltham Road.
He said: "It has become a nuisance for the villagers and I cringe every time I see a lorry trying to go down a road which is nowhere near wide enough."
Jeremy Hunter, 34, from Dellands, said: "We do get a few lorries coming down Dellands Lane, which is very narrow, downhill and has overhanging branches.
"There have been cases where the lorries have become stuck by the branches and have had to back up. I think some of it has to do with them not using common sense."
Jenny Hodge, spokesperson at TomTom, a leading satellite navigation system manufacturer, said: "We aren't aware of Overton having problems with vehicles mistakenly being sent there.
"Our systems are for cars and there are specific devices for HGVs, which we encourage lorry drivers to use.
"Obviously, drivers should use common sense and not blindly follow their system."
Brian Langer, Overton Parish Council representative for highways and byways and public transport, has identified Silk Mill Lane, Two Gate Lane, Sprents Lane, Waltham Road and Dellands Lane as areas of concern.
He said: "Very often lorries are mistakenly sent through Overton roads and it does cause problems for local traffic.
"I think the Government should recognise the problem and work with the navigation companies so small villages like Overton don't suffer."
Mike Coleman, who co-owns Coleman and Scott Haulage, based in Worting Road, Basingstoke, said: "We tell our drivers not to believe everything sat- navs tell you because there have been times when they lead you down a dead end or a ridiculously tight bend."
by Ben Ellery, Basingstoke Gazette
See readers' comments to this story here
May 08
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