Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment – SHL133 Swanʼs Farm Confidential Draft – 25/02/2015 – Version 1.0

High Level Site Assessment Proforma

Site Reference SHL133 Site Name Swan’s Farm Parish Winchfield / Site Address Swan’s Farm, Winchfield

Capacity Assessment and Categorisation Site Size (ha) 54.5 Estimated Capacity 450 Comments on capacity This estimates capacity allowing the significant flood risk and nature conservation constraints to the western half of the site.

Housing Strategy Category(s) 6 Other or 4 (New Settlement) Land Supply Category D (site not adjoining urban areas) or F (New Settlement) as as part of STR005 part of STR005

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 (Odiham Road, Winchfield no. 1/2) – 2,900m Employment and Railway Station (Winchfield) – 2,600m services Employment (Hook Business Parks) – 5,600m. Although the road distance is over 5km, in practice the train would be used for access to employment areas in Hook. Public Open Space (Hitches Lane SANG) – 3,500m. It is also assumed that additional SANG would be provided on site. Health facility (Odiham Health Centre) – 3,000m. Primary School (Mayhill Junior School, Odiham) – 3,400m. Secondary School (Robert Mayʼs School, Odiham) – 4,200m Supermarket (Tesco, Hook) – 5,700m.

Infrastructure • Schools: There is a projected (2018) surplus of 16% for Infant/Primary schools in the Hook/Odiham/Hartley provision Wintney area. This takes into account the planned 1FE expansion of Greenfields Junior School and Oakwood Infant School, in . However, this surplus will not be sufficient to provide school places for any significant development at Winchfield. For secondary schools the projected (2018) surplus capacity across is 9%. • Retail: The most recent evidence found that there is no pressing need to increase convenience and comparison floorspace. However, some of Hartʼs supermarkets are overtrading (inc. Morrisonʼs Elvetham

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Heath and Tesco in Hook) 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) either in Fleet or potentially in Hook village centre. • Health: There are no planned expansions of health facilities in the Winchfield / Hartley Wintney / Odiham area, but it is likely that any significant level of development in the centre of the District will require additional provision. • Transport (road): From the available evidence, there are no proposed road/junction improvements in close proximity to the site. However, the road infrastructure in the Winchfield area reflects the areas rural character and has limited capacity for additional traffic. Therefore a key infrastructure issue for developing any significant level of housing at Winchfield is how the road infrastructure can be upgraded to meet the projected levels of demand and how traffic to/from the new development would access the M3 Motorway. For this site the most appropriate route appears to be using Junction 5 and the A287 and B3016 (Odiham Road) as well as suitable upgrading of Bagwell Lane. • Transport (other): There are no commercial bus services that serve the Winchfield area and the site is physically remote from the Hartley Wintney Parish Council community transport bus service that connects Winchfield with Hartley Wintney, Fleet, , Hook and Camberley. The HCC Transport Statement notes a number of pedestrian and cycling improvements in the area, the most significant of which is the scheme to provide new route running parallel to the A30 linking Hook, Hartley Wintney and Winchfield. However, this is some distance from the site. • Green Infrastructure: The Hart Infrastructure Delivery Schedule highlights two strategic projects, for which development could help to address the deficit. These are the replacement Hart Leisure Centre at Hitches Lane and the Hitches Lane Country Park (SANG) improvements.

Current Use and Current use is as agricultural land and woodland. Relevant Planning History No planning history found.

Nature Conservation Most of the site is within the 5km Thames Basin Heaths SPA Zone of Influence. A site of this scale is likely to go beyond the capacity of the Hitches Lane SANG to mitigate its potential impact on the TBH SPA. Therefore it is anticipated that any significant development at the site would require the provision of appropriate on-site SANGs.

The western parts of the site comprise a cluster of small open fields surrounded by four significant areas of woodland: Odiham Wood to the west, Pillerʼs Copse and Lousey Moor to the east, Forest Park / Park Wall Copse to the south and Bagwell Shaw to the north. Most of this woodland is Ancient Woodland. The fields framed by the woodland are designated as a SINC (Fields West of Lousey Moor). Both Lousey Moor and Bagwell Shaw, which are located within the site, are also designated as SINCs. Bagwell Shaw is also a part of the Odiham Common with Bagwell Green and Shaw SSSI. Therefore, the entire western half of the site is covered by one or more nature conservation designations.

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The eastern half of the site includes small parts of three SINCs along the long southern boundary, which runs along the Canal. From west to east, these are Lousey Moor SINC, Lousey Moor Northeast SINC and Yew Tree Copse SINC. The adjacent is also an SSSI, although none of that designation falls within the site.

To the north, the site is adjacent to Bagwell Green, which is a part of the Odiham Common with Bagwell Green and Shaw SSSI.

Minerals Resources The Minerals and Waste Plan Policies Map indicates that significant parts of the site are subject to minerals safeguarding for sharp sand and gravel (Policy 15 of the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan). The extent to which this might constrain development will need to be assessed, including through engagement with Hampshire County Council.

Landscape HCC Integrated LCA (2012): Landscape type: Lowland mosaic medium scale Landscape Character Area: Loddon Valley and Forest of West

Hart District LCA (1997): Landscape type: Mixed farmland and woodland large scale

Landscape Character Area: . Main features of the Dogmersfield LCA: This is a mainly quiet rural part of the District characterised by mixed farmland and woodland with a strong landscape structure of woods and hedgerows on a gently undulating landform. Dogmersfield House and the historic parkland setting of Dogmersfield Park and the Basingstoke Canal are key features of this landscape character area and help to define its characteristics.

Summary assessment: The west of the site comprises a mixture of woodland and an enclosed cluster of small fields that appear to be used for pasture. The fields are well screened on all sites by the wooded areas, except at the northwest corner where the trees have been cleared to provide a set-back for overhead power lines which traverse this part of the site from north to south.

The eastern parts of the site are much more open and comprise three larger arable fields bounded mainly by hedgerows, but with much more substantial tree screening along the Basingstoke Canal to the south. This part of the site rises relatively steeply from Bagwell Lane and this topography as well as the open nature of the field structure would be likely to mean that any development on this part of the site would be highly visible from the north.

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Agricultural Land Agricultural land within the site has been assessed as a mixture of Grades 3 and 4. It is possible that the site contains some ʻbest and most versatileʼ (BMV) agricultural land, but this would need to be confirmed through survey.

Heritage Assets Swanʼs Farm includes five Listed agricultural buildings (all Grade II) that are clustered around the main farmhouse in the north of the site. In addition, there are several nearby Listed Buildings, including the Old Rectory to the east and Wilkʼs Water to the south west (both Grade II).

The southern boundary of the site follows the Basingstoke Canal and parts of the Canal Conservation Area fall within the site boundaries.

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 Much of the west of the site is within Flood Zone 3. This part of the site is also at risk of surface water flooding and has potential for groundwater flooding at the surface. Almost the whole of the western part of the site is within the maximum extent of flood risk from Dogmersfield Lake, which is situated nearby to the south. In summary, the entire western half of the site is severely constrained by flood risk, although this has been taken into account in estimating site capacity.

Location and scale of This is a relatively large elongated site sandwiched between Bagwell Lane and the Basingstoke Canal. The site is development mostly greenfield, although there are several dwellings and a range of agricultural buildings clustered in the north of the site. The site is entirely isolated within the countryside and is some distance from the nearest settlement – Dogmersfield and Odiham are each approximately 2km distant. Consequently development at the site would be unlikely to give rise to settlement coalescence.

The site is surrounded by open countryside to the north, by the Basingstoke Canal to the south and east and by the heavily wooded areas of Odiham Wood to the west.

Un-neighbourly Uses The site is traversed north to south by substantial overhead power lines, although these are located within the western part of the site that is unsuitable for development due to nature conservation constraints and flood risk.

Availability The site is believed to be available and was only recently submitted to the Council as a SHLAA site. Assessment

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Site Access The site would be accessed from Bagwell Lane, which is a narrow rural lane and single-track for most of its length. It is considered that substantial upgrading of this road, as well as the junctions with the B3016, would be required in order to serve any significant development on the site.

Summary of • A large part of the site is subject to various SINC designations and some parts are included within an SSSI; Constraints • The western half of the site is severely constrained by flood risk from several sources of potential flooding; • There is a range of heritage assets within and in close proximity, including several Listed Buildings and the Basingstoke Canal Conservation Area, all of which may impact how and where new development can be planned; • It is possible that the site contains some ʻbest and most versatileʼ (BMV) agricultural land; • There is a potential negative impact of development in the north and east of the site on landscape character; • Access is constrained by the narrow rural lane that serves the site and the site is remote from most facilities and services.

Summary of In spite of its large size, this site is less suitable for developing alone due to the various constraints, poor accessibility and the Opportunities isolated location within the countryside. Depending on which nearby sites were included, parts of this site may be suitable for developing as part of a new settlement (See STR005) centred on Winchfield. However, this site is distant from other areas being assessed for potential inclusion within a new settlement and it may be that a more suitable role for the site would be to provide strategic open space / SANG.

Focus of further • The potential impact that development may have on the various nature conservation designations within and adjacent to the assessment, should site needs to be understood; the site be shortlisted • The extent to which development in the east of the site would impact on heritage assets and on the landscape character needs by the Council to be assessed; • Work would be needed on the potential to achieve safe vehicular access to the site, including access to the motorway and the impact on Bagwell Lane and the B3016; • The potential to achieve an on-site SANG needs to be considered.

Site Assessment Name: PH Completed by Date: 16/2/2015

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

Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 5 ± SHLAA Site 133 - Constraints

Key SHLAA Site 133 Listed Buildings ! TPO - Individual SSSI SINC National Nature Reserve Local Nature Reserve Parish Boundaries Historic Parks and Gardens Conservation Areas Thames Basin Heaths SPA (5km zone of influence) Thames Basin Heaths SPA (400m exclusion zone) Thames Basin Heaths SPA Settlement Boundaries TPO - Groups Scheduled Ancient Monuments Strategic Gaps

1:12,500 0 62.5125 250 375 500

Meters Contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database right 2015 ± SHLAA Site 133 - Flood Risk

Key SHLAA Site 133 Flood Zone 3 Flood Zone 2 Reservoir Flood Outlines Surface Water Flooding (1 in 30 year AEP) Surface Water Flooding (1 in 100 year AEP) Groundwater Flooding (Limited) Groundwater Flooding (Potential flooding to basements) Groundwater Flooding (Potential flooding at surface)

1:12,500 0 62.5125 250 375 500

Meters Contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database right 2015