11/29/2019 Mail - Woodgate, Jenny - Outlook
Large Development Sites - Medstead, Four Marks, Soldridge
Wed 16/10/2019 11:42 To: EHDC - Local Plan
TITLE : Large Scale Site Development Comment
I wish to comment on the EHDC’s Large Development Site proposals.
I would like to SUPPORT the development at Whitehill & Bordon for the following reasons:
The area is a New Town, including shops, offices, restaurants, makers market, town square and parking. The addi onal housing will drive economic growth and employment. Mains sewage and water infrastructure will link well with exis ng facili es. Plans drive the Suitable Alterna ve Natural Green Space (SANGS) and recrea onal green space. EHDC has a call to plant 120,000 trees in the district, the environmental planning of this site will go a long way to helping to meet this. Transport design that makes it easy to walk and cycle round. Cycle links are planned between green space/SANGS. The loca on has New sports pavilion/facili es (opened 2018) and a new Leisure Centre is planned. Plans support schooling. The Secondary school is being rebuilt and has the poten al to expand to 1200 pupils (ini al capacity is 900 pupils). Plans include needs for a Primary School.
At the end of the current development period, Whitehill & Bordon will have a popula on of ~23,000, given its sustainability, its ability to ‘seamlessly’ absorb an addi onal 1284 dwellings (~3000 people) is be er than any other site put forward in this consulta on. A significant part of the proposed houses would be in the new town center giving people accessibility to services and facili es and a sense of place.
EHDC recommended.
I would like to SUPPORT the development at Northbrook Park for the following reasons:
A truly self-contained development that is able to more than meet the minimum housing demands without overly impac ng exis ng neighbours due to the Woodland that will be maintained North and South of the site. A development that will provide its own infrastructure consequently not dependent on exis ng infrastructure. Plans include a good amount of Suitable Alterna ve Natural Green Space (SANGS) and recrea onal green space. It appears to provide a good blueprint for future garden village development. An already planned and extensive program of infrastructure developments, cri cal aspects of which to be in place before any housing is occupied. Vehicle access to the A31 to be provided at a point where the A31 is dual carriageway and is not normally subject to traffic conges on. Plans include to bring employment to the site once completed. There is a Village Trust that has an interest in long term support and investment in the future making the project sustainable. Reduces development in areas that lend themselves less well to infrastructure changes of this magnitude. EHDC recommended.
I would like to OBJECT the developments at Land South of Winchester Road, Land West of Lymington Bo om Road and South Medstead, for the following reasons:
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/none/id/AAMkADIxNjE3NWJlLTMxYmEtNDEwZC1iOGM4LTYxOTllYjNmN2MzZQBGAAAAAABrEkrzGtHSSpsf… 1/3 11/29/2019 Mail - Woodgate, Jenny - Outlook Firstly, it risks changing the character of the area from Rural to Urban.
Secondly, it is developing into a ‘dormitory popula on’. As there has been no commensurate increase in employment within these parishes, the majority of the new residents commute to work in neighbouring towns. This not only increases traffic conges on at peak mes, it also undermines the sense of belonging.
Thirdly, investment in the infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the increase in the popula on. This has put an increased level of pressure on all the local services and is most concerning in terms of the lack of facili es for the young people in our community.
As a result of their loca on on the top of the ‘Hampshire Alps’, the se lements of Medstead and Four Marks have always had a rural character to them and this has largely been preserved un l today. The Neighbourhood Plan sought to put in place policies to help retain the rural character of the parishes as this is seen to be central to the character of both se lements and something to be cherished and protected. However, this plan seems to be being undermined and the residents of Four Marks and Medstead will not have a sustainable social infrastructure in terms of the sense of community, the feeling of belonging and the nurturing of civic pride.
· The main site at South Medstead is not actually large enough for 600 houses, so the ‘pig farm’ has been put forward in this development site as well as ‘Land West of Lymington Bo om Road’.
o Site Reference: LAA/MED-016 Beverley Farm, Five Ash Road, Medstead, GU34 5EJ / Paddock View, Stoney Lane, Medstead, GU34 5EL /Land at Lymington Bo om Road, Medstead an Site Reference: LAA/MED-009 Land at Five Ash Crossroads, Lymington Bo om Road (pig farm). Previously given a status of Un-developable. o The Land on both of these applica ons is included within the South Medstead Development Site Plan. However, it has previously been rejected for many of the reasons noted above. Nothing has changed that should alter this previous decision. o The planning rejec on no ce for the Pig Farm site said that "it maintains a rural character and appearance compa ble with its surroundings. The site is sensi vely located at the edge of the se lement and forms part of the transi on between the se lement boundary and other dispersed developments in the countryside close by”. I agree with this. o Land West of Lymington Bo om Road has also been included in a Separate Large Development Plan that I have also objected to for similar reasons as it will s ll affect the rural hamlets and infrastructure.
· The land opposite Gravel Lane (employment area) and Land between Barn Lane and A31 (housing) have previously been given the status of ‘Undevelopable' in Land Availability Assessment. · § Site Reference: LAA/ROP-016 Land between Barn Lane and A31, Ropley: The area has a rural character, with low density sporadic development near the site. Development would be out of character with the area and would have an adverse impact on the intrinsic character of the countryside. Safe access would need to be established (Site slopes steeply up from the A31). Given the rural loca on, this is an unsustainable loca on for residen al development. § Site Reference: LAA/ROP-015 Land south of Gravel Lane, Ropley. Whilst iden fied poten al constraints could be overcome, the area has a rural character, with low density sporadic development opposite. Development would have an adverse impact on the intrinsic character of the countryside.
Furthermore the development is not recommended by EHDC.
END OF.
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