Appendix 3 Character of the Relief Road Character of the Relief Road

Appendix 3 Character of the Relief Road Character of the Relief Road INTRODUCTION This section provides an overview of the alternative route options for the proposed Whitehill & Bordon relief road. It includes a discussion of the policy framework within which the options sit, an overview of the options and consideration of the character of the relief road along the different options. It includes a series of street typologies and cross sections to illustrate the potential character of the relief road and its relationship with the proposed development. POLICY CONTEXT Overview This section provides an overview of the planning policy relevant to the area. The planning policy context comprises two levels of adopted and emerging policy, national and local, which create the framework for the consideration of proposed developments within the area, including the route of the proposed relief road and the character of this. National planning policy is set out in the form of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) which was adopted in 2012. The NPPF sets out the overarching principles of the planning system, and establishes a “presumption in favour of sustainable development which should be seen as a golden thread running through both plan-making and decision-taking”. In 2009 the Government published Planning Policy Statement (PPS): Eco-towns, A Supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1. While PPS 1 was superseded by the NPPF the Eco-towns Supplement (hereafter referred to as PPS: Eco-towns) has not been revoked and remains relevant to the consideration of proposals related to designated eco-towns. Whitehill & Bordon was designated as an eco-town. The Masterplan and aspirations within this accord with the eco-town principles. Although full achievement of eco-town standards, in terms of zero carbon-buildings and code for sustainable homes level 6 for example might be difficult to achieve in the current economic climate, the principles established in terms of the scale and mix of uses, streets, spaces and the wider movement network remain as good placemaking principles that should be followed where possible. Local planning guidance is established in the East Hampshire District Council Second Review Local Plan policies that comply with the NPPF, as approved in February 2013. The Local Plan will eventually be superseded by the Local Plan: Joint Core Strategy (LPJCS), which the District Council has prepared in conjunction with the South Downs National Park Authority. This document was subject to an Examination in Public that commenced on 29 October 2013. The outcome of examination is not yet known, though it is hoped that the LPJCS will be adopted in early 2014. The emerging Joint Core Strategy has been prepared in consideration of the revised Whitehill & Bordon Eco-town Masterplan (2012). The LPJCS confirms this document has been adopted by East Hampshire District Council and it was used to inform the policies relating to the strategic allocation of the Eco-town. A summary of the relevant policies and guidance to be considered in the preparation of a preferred option for the relief road are set out below. The Masterplan The Whitehill & Bordon Eco-town Masterplan establishes a vision for the project and sets out a framework for how this could be delivered over a 25 year period. The final revised Masterplan was adopted in 2012 and seeks to deliver: ■ 4,000 new homes (a reduction from 5,300 in the earlier draft); ■ 5,500 new jobs; ■ A new town centre; ■ Improved pedestrian, cycling and public transport routes; ■ An inner relief road; ■ The restoration of a rail link for the town; ■ A public sports hub; ■ A learning campus/ secondary school; ■ Two primary schools; ■ Children’s centre; ■ Primary care centre; ■ A network of connected, multi-functional greenspaces; and ■ Relevant waste and energy infrastructure to achieve carbon and water neutrality. The proposed number of new homes and jobs will significantly increase overall movement within the town and so it is critical that the transport strategy meets existing and future challenges. The Masterplan recognises that “the movement of people to, through and within towns provides a lifeblood for successful and vibrant places” (p. 108). The Masterplan aims to “achieve the highest levels of “sustainable” travel” (p. 107), and it proposes to realise this by “reducing the need to travel outside the town; enable sustainable transport choices for all trips; and manage car demand within and outside the town” (p.110). In order to achieve this, a Transport Strategy is currently being finalised to support the Masterplan and aims to achieve no more than 50% of all trips to be undertaken by car. An emerging Transport Strategy was also adopted by Hampshire County Council in September 2011. The transport vision contained in that for Whitehill & Bordon is: “Achieve sustainable growth in the long term by delivering an integrated low carbon transport system that will beat the forefront of innovative thinking, providing high-quality, affordable and deliverable alternatives to the private car, managing transport demand and maximising the use of existing assets to become an example for modern day sustainable living.” (p. 6) Whitehill-Bordon Options Review Report Prepared for November 2013 Hampshire County Council 2 Despite the significant improvement to sustainable transport choices proposed in the town, it is recognised within the Masterplan that “there will remain a demand for car trips both within and outside the town, and it is acknowledged that the car will play an important role in future town travel” (p.118). The Masterplan recognises that the nature of the surrounding regional highways network has resulted in a significant proportion of traffic on the A325 that have no relationship to the town, and so the car movement strategy addresses both ‘local’ and ‘through’ traffic. The Masterplan’s principal solution to the traffic movement strategy is the provision of a relief road. This is intended to provide an alternative route for through traffic away from the town centre as well as providing good access to the proposed new communities and facilities. The relief road will be designed to ensure it is well integrated in the new developments and to allow for permeability. This is in contrast to the A325, which is identified as a barrier to walking and cycling connectivity. It is believed the relief road will deliver a smooth traffic flow and reduce congestion issues on the route including at the junctions on the A325 in Whitehill & Bordon as well as reducing the likelihood of traffic using inappropriate local roads to avoid congestion and bottlenecks. The objectives for the relief road are to: ■ Relieve congestion on the A325: providing a free-flow alternative to the existing A325 and removing non-local traffic from the core of the town. ■ Enable to new town centre: reducing the levels of traffic on the existing A325 to help deliver the conditions necessary to provide a successful town centre for Whitehill & Bordon. ■ Provide access to the development: delivering critical road based access to new development areas. ■ Reduce severance: reducing heavy traffic flows and dominance of traffic on the A325 and thus community severance, helping to create a permeable town that links the new development with the town centre and existing communities. The preferred alignment of the relief road has not been finalised, however the Masterplan includes two options – the first routes through Viking Park and the second uses the southern part of the safeguarded rail corridor. The Masterplan has been subject to a Transport Assessment in order to consider the potential impact of the proposals on the local transport network. This document identified a number of areas on the road network that require improvement, which will inform the final Transport Strategy. Draft Character Area Design Code A (Draft) Character Area Design Code has been prepared in support of the Masterplan to provide further design guidance to ensure new development meets the aspirations of the District Council and local stakeholders. The design code is still subject to discussion with the stakeholders. It has been considered when looking at the route options (see Options section below), though it is acknowledged that this may be subject to change. The draft Design Code includes detailed guidance for the relief road and envisions this route as an avenue running through the eco-town with a shared cycle/ footway running alongside it. In appropriate locations, the document promotes higher density developments along the relief road, including mixed use developments and apartment blocks and the majority of the proposed employment floorspace is located along the route. The draft Design Code also indicates a potential alternative alignment for the route of the relief road which wrap around the edge of the development area. In common with the ‘inner’ relief road options, the ‘outer’ options also utilise the former railway corridor. However, it is still well connected and integrated with the proposed street pattern with frequent points of access with the development. Development Brief A Development Brief has been prepared for Louisburg Barracks (2013) to provide further guidance for planning proposals relating to the site. It is envisioned that this site will the location of a new ‘Eco Business Park’ as well as accommodating extended and new residential areas. The Louisburg Barracks development is planned to be the first phase of the masterplan implementation providing an interim access junction to the A325. The remainder of the road and the development would follow in phase 2. A Masterplan is being developed for the Louisburg site. This will provide more detail on the proposed form of development. In the meantime, the development brief establishes the principles for the layout of the site. This shows the relief road acting as the primary route running through the development. The employment uses will be focussed around the relief road, connecting into this and creating excellent links for the employment sites and the surrounding residential developments to the A325.

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