Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment Proforma – SHL 234 (Land East of Redfields Lane, Ewshot) June 2016 High Level Site Assessment Proforma Site Reference SHL234 Site Name Land East of Redfields Lane Parish Ewshot Site Address Redfields Lane, Church Crookham, GU52 0RE Capacity Assessment and Categorisation Site Size (ha) 0.37ha Estimated Capacity 11 Comments on capacity The capacity was calculated using a dph figure of 30. No deductions were made. This allows for a gross-to-net ratio of 100% from the baseline density. Housing Strategy Category(s) Strategy 6: Other Land Supply Category Category D: Sites not 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 o Bus stop – (The Wyvern, Gally Hill Road, Church Crookham, services: 10 and 410 Fleet – Farnborough) Employment and 1.2km/15 mins walk services o Railway station – (Fleet) 5.1km/18 mins cycle o Employment centre – (Blue Prior Business Park) 330m/1 min cycle o Public open space – (Azalea Park) 2.2km/27 mins walk o Health facility – (Crondall New Surgery) 2km/25 mins walk o Primary school – (Church Crookham Junior School) 1.8km/22 mins walk o Secondary school – (Court Moor School) 2.9km/7 mins cycle o Supermarket – (Waitrose) 3.8km/46 mins walk Infrastructure • Schools: There is a projected (2019)1 deficit of 4.1% for infant/primary schools in the provision Fleet/Crookham/Crondall area. This takes into account the planned 1FE expansion of Church Crookham Junior School, and the expansion of Tweseldown Infant School, and additional housing is therefore likely to exacerbate the school place deficit in the area. For secondary schools the projected (2019)1 surplus in the Fleet area is 0.7%. This figure includes the additional secondary school places to be provided in Fleet through a 2FE expansion of Calthorpe Park School.2 • Retail: Recent evidence 3 has suggested that for the period 2014-2032 between 2426 and 3166 sq.m gross additional convenience floorspace will be required in Fleet, and between 3625 and 4829 sq.m gross additional Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 1 Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment Proforma – SHL 234 (Land East of Redfields Lane, Ewshot) June 2016 comparison floorspace, will be required. As the largest centre in Hart, Fleet has the most development site potential within the district, and there are a number of potential sites that may be able to accommodate the additional retail floorspace required over the Plan period. • Health: Richmond Surgery (Fleet) has been identified in a previous PCT Estates plan as having potential for improvement. Crondall New Surgery is located in Crondall village and serves patients in the areas of Crondall, Ewshot, Church Crookham, and surrounding villages. The site is within the catchment area for Crondall New Surgery, and the surgery is currently accepting new patients. The site may benefit from the provision of land for up to 1,050m2 D1 floorspace for a GP surgery including pharmacy as part of the development on the nearby land west of Redfields Lane site (also known as the land at Watery Lane site) (ref 14/00504/MAJOR).4 • Transport (road): Access to and from the site onto Redfields Lane may be difficult, due to the wooded nature of the road and the high speed of vehicles travelling along it. However, the site may benefit from planned changes to Redfields Lane in order to achieve appropriate access to the Watery Lane site (ref 14/00504/MAJOR 4). Improvements to the nearby A287/Redfields Lane junction are also proposed to support the Watery Lane development site. This junction is currently operating over capacity and the provision of a new roundabout junction is to be undertaken due to the development at Watery Lane. In addition to the access improvements required due to the development at Watery Lane, an upgrade of the Reading Road (South)/Connaught Road junction is proposed. The latest available HCC Transport Statement (project schedule) indicates that the other junctions on Reading Road (South) in central Fleet require improvement and this need could potentially be exacerbated by development on this site. • Transport (other): The HCC Transport Statement 5 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. Stagecoach has recently reorganised several bus routes in Hart, and this has significantly reduced the level of bus service for this site with the end of the routing of the 72 from Fleet to Aldershot via Church Crookham and Ewshot. Redfields Lane no longer has any regular bus service. The closest bus service within walking distance is the 10 from Fleet to Farnborough. • Green Infrastructure: The Hart Infrastructure Delivery Schedule highlights that Church Crookham has an existing deficit in Green Infrastructure, which will be exacerbated by the development of this site. Several projects within Church Crookham are listed in the schedule, which could help to address this deficit. The site may benefit from open space and provision of an approximately 16ha SANG as part of the development on the nearby land at Watery Lane, west of Redfields Lane site (ref 14/00504/MAJOR),4 although it is unclear if there will be capacity for additional housing. • Utilities: Fleet currently experiences overloads of the foul water system in times of high rainfall, and Thames Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 2 Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment Proforma – SHL 234 (Land East of Redfields Lane, Ewshot) June 2016 Water has previously expressed concern as to the adequacy of the wastewater network in the area. There is a lack of provision in certain types of infrastructure in the area and development on the site will only increase the pressure on existing services. It is unlikely that the site is of sufficient size to provide the supporting infrastructure on-site. The site may however benefit from infrastructure improvements relating to the development on the nearby land west of Redfields Lane site (also known as the land at Watery Lane site) (ref 14/00504/MAJOR).4 Current Use and The site currently comprises woodland. Relevant Planning History There is no relevant planning history directly associated with SHL234, however the below major planning application relates to a site in close proximity. Planning history within close proximity to the SHL234 site 14/00504/MAJOR - Outline planning application to the South of Church Crookham on a large site adjacent to Redfields Lane opposite SHL234, for up to 300 residential units, land for up to 1,050m2 D1 floorspace for a GP surgery including pharmacy and up to 370m2 A1 retail floorspace for a convenience foodstore and associated access, open space, playing pitches including a sports pavilion, MUGA and car park, landscaping, Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) including car park and improvements to the A287/Redlands Lane junction (means of access into the main site to be considered, all other matters reserved). Refused 29/09/2014, appeal allowed 26.06/2015. Nature Conservation Site is within the 5km Thames Basin Heaths SPA Zone of Influence. It is possible that a site of this scale could be within the capacity of the Hitches Lane SANG to mitigate its potential impact on the TBH SPA. If this proves not to be the case, any development at the site would require financial contributions for the provision of appropriate SANGs. Redfield Rows SINC is located in very close proximity to the site to the south-west, across Redfields Lane. The close proximity of this SINC could comprise a constraint to development on this site and further investigation into the potential impacts of the development on this nature designation is likely to be necessary. There is also an area- based TPO across Redfields Lane to the south-west, although it is considered unlikely that development on this site would impact this area-based TPO. There is an area of Ancient Woodland approximately 220m to the west of the site. As the site is entirely woodland, development would necessitate some loss of trees and other vegetation, and this could potentially impact any wildlife present on-site. Minerals Resources The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan Policies Map indicates that there are no areas within the site that are subject to minerals safeguarding. Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 3 Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment Proforma – SHL 234 (Land East of Redfields Lane, Ewshot) June 2016 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 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 and of the overhead power lines that traverse the LCA to the south of the site. Summary assessment: The site appears to be entirely woodland. Development on this site would necessitate some loss of trees and other vegetation. The site is likely to be very well-screened from surrounding land uses, provided sufficient trees and vegetation are retained along the boundaries. Agricultural Land The entire site is on Grade 4 agricultural land. Heritage Assets Redfields House and its grounds, across Redfields Lane to the south west and west, are locally listed. Due to the screening between the site and these heritage assets, it seems unlikely that development on this site would have a significant impact on their setting, but further investigation is likely to be necessary.