Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment –SHL166 – Land West of Ewshot Lane

High Level Site Assessment Proforma

Site Reference SHL166 Site Name Land West of Ewshot Lane Parish Ewshot Site Address Land West of Ewshot Lane,

Capacity Assessment and Categorisation Site Size (ha) 6.578ha Estimated Capacity 118 Comments on capacity The capacity was calculated using a dph figure of 18. This allows for a gross-to-net ratio of 60% from the baseline 30 dph.

Housing Strategy Category(s) Category 2 (Dispersal Strategy) Land Supply Category Category B (Small sites adjoining existing urban areas)

Key to Site Assessments: No overriding constraint to development of the site

Constraint requiring further detailed assessment

Major constraint undermining suitability of site

Site Assessment Assessment Criteria Assessment comments Coloured assessment Accessibility to • Bus Stop (Church Crookham, The Wyvern, no. 72) - 1.19km Employment and • Railway Station (Fleet) – 6km services • Employment centre: Redfields 0.01km (Blue Prior Business Park) 0.6km • Public open space: (Rec. ground) 1.53km or (Quetta Park) 2.06km • Health facility: (Richmond surgery) 2.8km • Primary School: (Church Crookham Junior School ) 1.7km • Secondary School: (Court Moor School) 3.3.km • Supermarket: (Waitrose, Fleet) 4.0km Infrastructure • Transport (roads): Currently the site is only accessible from Ewshot Lane, a rural single track lane. If the site provision was to be developed Ewshot Lane would require significant upgrading. Additional access could be derived from Redfields Lane through the Redfields industrial Park which borders the site in the east. There is a public right of way that already exists along the southern boundary of the site that links Ewshot Lane with the Industrial Park.

• Transport (other): Redfields Lane no longer has any regular bus service. The closest bus service within walking distance of the site is the 72, which runs from Farnborough to Reading via Fleet. The HCC Transport Statement notes a wide range of improvements required in the cycle path infrastructure of Fleet and also the on-going improvements required at Fleet Railway Station.

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• Schools: There is a projected (2018) deficit of 3% for infant/primary schools in the Fleet area. This takes into account the planned 1FE expansion of Church Crookham Junior School. Therefore additional housing not already planned for will exacerbate the deficit. For secondary schools the projected (2018) surplus in the Fleet area is 9%.

• Retail: The most recent evidence found that there is no pressing need to increase convenience and comparison floorspace. However, some of Fleet’s supermarkets are overtrading (inc. Waitrose) and there is a modest deficit in convenience floorspace. Therefore, additional housing not already planned for will increase the need to expand retail floorspace (convenience and comparison) in the Fleet area.

• Health: Richmond Surgery (Fleet) has been identified in a previous PCT Estates plan as having potential for improvement. Any additional housing not already planned for will exacerbate any deficiencies at that surgery.

• Green Infrastructure: The Hart Infrastructure Delivery Schedule highlights that this site could benefit from two strategic projects, which could help to address future deficit. These are the replacement of Hart Leisure Centre at Hitches Lane, and the Hitches Lane Country Park improvements.

Current Use and The current use of the site is agricultural and there is no relevant planning history. Relevant Planning History Nature Conservation Site is within the 5km Thames Basin Heaths SPA Zone of Influence and development may not be within the capacity of the Hitches Lane SANG. Therefore, it is likely that on or off-site SANG provision would need to be made.

There are two SINCs is the locality of Ewshot Lane, one at Ridding’s cope and another west of Redfield’s Lane. East of Ewshot there is also a large TPO designated area. However, these are not directly adjacent to the site and it is considered unlikely that development would cause any significant harm to these assets.

Minerals Resources The Minerals and Waste Plan Policies Map indicates that there are no areas within the site that are subject to minerals safeguarding.

Landscape HCC Integrated LCA (2012): Landscape type: lowland mosaic heath associated Landscape Character Area: North East Hampshire Plantations and Heath

Hart District LCA 1997: Landscape type: Mixed pasture and woodland

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Landscape Character Area: Redlands

Main features of the Redlands LCA: a mixed, fragmented character reflecting the underlying complex geology. The area is essentially rural, but with suburbanising influences, however, the well-wooded character reduces the visual instruction of these

Summary: The site comprises of a largely flat open field with no fixed structures. It is primarily enclosed by trees and hedges and bound by Ewshot Lane in the east, open countryside in the south and by the Church Crookham settlement boundary in the north and west. A small water course runs along the southern boundary at which there is a public right of way between Ewshot Lane and Redfield’s Industrial Park.

Development of the site would extend the settlement boundary of Church Crookham however it may have a wider impact on the surrounding countryside and landscape character. The eastern boundary of Ewshot Lane comprises of low hedges and trees which, at present, will not contain views of any new development. Views from areas of higher ground in the east looking west towards site the may also be significantly harmed by new development. Further assessment on the potential impact of new development on the landscape character area and surrounding countryside will be required. Agricultural Land Agricultural land within the site has been assessed as Grade 3. This may include some ‘best and most versatile’ agricultural land (Grade 3a), although the site would need to be surveyed in further detail to confirm this

Heritage Assets There are two Grade II listed buildings in very close proximity to the east of the site at Stillers Farm (the farmhouse and barn). Due to their proximity and the nature of the eastern boundary of Ewshot Lane, which, at present, will not contain views of any new development, a full heritage assessment and strategy would be required to mitigate against any harm to the setting of these listed buildings.

Water resources and There are no groundwater source protection zones or licensed water abstraction points in close proximity to the quality site.

Air Quality There are not believed to be any Air Quality Management Areas in close proximity to the site. On the basis of evidence seen, none of the surrounding land uses would be likely to cause any air quality issues for the site.

Flood risk A small unidentified river course runs along the southern boundary of the site. Land around this area is subject to surface water flood (1 in 30 years AEP). Any development on the site may need to include mitigation to ensure that surface water does not pose a risk to properties, particularly in the southern part of the site.

Location and scale of The site comprises entirely of greenfield land. Situated within the parish of Ewshot the site borders the Church development Crookham settlement boarder. It is partially located within the Church Crookham/Ewshot Local Gap, however it is

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not considered to play a pivotal role in providing separation between the two settlements, although this would need to be further assessed. Given its immediacy to the Church Crookham boundary in would form an extension of the urban area but given the scale of development would not encroach upon Ewshot.

Despite its current agricultural use there are a number urban land uses surrounding the site including The Redfield Industrial Site, Blue Prior Business Park, Redfield Garden Centre, Avondale Tennis Club and residential neighbourhoods. These neighbouring uses support the allocated density of 30dph however the site is surrounded by open countryside in the south and the west. Development here would have to be sensitive to this setting as well as the two listed buildings at Stiller’s Farm.

Un-neighbourly Uses On the basis of evidence seen, there are no un-neighbourly uses in close proximity to the site. The extent to which the industrial uses at the business parks to the east would impact on the amenity for future residents would need to be considered.

Availability Site promoter estimate: 0-5 years (subject to allocation and grant of planning permission) Assessment

Site Access The site is likely to be accessed from Ewshot Lane, which is a narrow rural lane and unsuited to providing access for more than a handful of dwellings and farms. Considerable upgrading of the lane is expected to be required if the site is developed alone.

Additional access could be derived from Redfields Lane through the Redfields industrial Park which borders the site in the east. There is a public right of way that already exists along the southern boundary of the site that links Ewshot Lane with the Industrial Park.

Summary of • Potential harmful and significant impacts on the two Listed Buildings at Stillers Farm to the east Constraints • Poor access to site: Ewshot Lane • Poor access to facilities and amenities which are unlikely to be delivered as part of the development • Impact on landscape character area (particularly in the south and east) • Potential risk of surface water flooding in the south of the site.

Summary of This site has only recently been confirmed as a SHLAA site and would therefore provide the opportunity to facilitate a larger Opportunities development to the south of Church Crookham (including SHLAA36, 235, 354, 355 and 90), if this was considered suitable and appropriate. Whilst it is noted that STR007, SHL354 and SHL355 were not shortlisted, if this site were to be shortlisted for further assessment, it may be appropriate to consider it in combination with SHL90 to the east, particularly as this may provide the opportunity to avoid dependence on Ewshot Lane for primary vehicular access.

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The impact on the landscape character could be mitigated through additional screening and the small area at risk of surface water flooding could be overcome through appropriate mitigation.

Focus of further • Access to the site need to be further investigated. Assessment of Ewshot Lane as main access point and the potential of assessment, should Redfield Industrial Park as another. the site be shortlisted • Wider infrastructure capacity issues need to be addressed, most importantly the poor access to facilities and amenities by the Council • An assessment of the potential impacts of developing the site on landscape character • The potential impact of development n the adjacent Listed Buildings needs to be assessed. • An assessment of the flood risk from surface water flooding and the mitigation that would be required to development the site

Site Assessment Name: Georgi Tyler Completed by Date: 26/08/15

HDC Conclusion and Shortlist the site: Do not shortlist the site: recommendation HDC Comments:

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