Potholes and botched repairs makes village look ‘neglected and tired’

Potholes and botched repairs are making a riverside village “look neglected”, a furious resident has said.

Peter Langdon has criticised Hampshire County Council for its “quick fix” approach to a series of potholes at The Square in Hamble. Council workers repaired the damage on May 6, two years after the road was last repaired, Peter said.

The Hamble resident fears that the appearance of the area is also keeping visitors away.

Peter said: “The Square looks tired, and it has been completely neglected for years.

“The replacement bricks are not designed for high volumes of traffic, and they were only laid at a pedestrian level.

“We often have 38-tonne articulated lorries turning around down here, so whoever decided this repair was appropriate does not know what they are doing.”

Peter currently lives in The Old House in the village square, a property he bought more than a decade ago to serve as a holiday let.

He previously rented the £1.5 million Grade II listed property to comedian Jim Davidson and he has also welcomed international rowing racing teams to the house.

Peter was outside his house on Wednesday, May 6, when he saw the council workers complete the “one-hour repair”.

He said: “It is a symptom of a run-down council. The council has money to spend on other things but not on essential repairs for the roads.

“Any idiot can pour pre-made tarmac into a hole.

“The new repairs have made the Square look as bad as it did before. It looks like a mess.

“This is what is welcoming people to the village – a scene of potholes and temporary repairs.”

A proposed directorate service budget report was presented to county council cabinet members in February. This revealed that the proposed budget for highway operations for the 2026/27 financial year is £32,648.

The council originally forecast a recurring budget deficit of £143 million for 2026/27, but the latest report has reduced this to £101.9 million. A further recurring deficit of £179.7 million is predicted for 2027/28.

Peter added: “I came to Hamble to destress, but I am having to rethink it. This makes me want to leave.

“Once I sell my three properties in Hamble, I might move abroad as the roads are maintained better, and generally things are better.”

Following concerns, a spokesperson for Hampshire County Council confirmed these repairs are temporary.

They added that asphalt was used to “make the road safe as efficiently as possible at a time when our teams continue to deal with a high number of potholes”.

The spokesperson added: “We recognise the appearance is different from the original block surface, but this practical approach enables us to complete work quickly and effectively, reducing disruption to local traffic and bus services.

“We will continue to monitor the area and take action as necessary until permanent repairs are arranged and completed.”