DOH603767-0001 ~’~ ~"~ ’~.j~ ’.,~-~ Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, Hampshire Telephone. ’~ ...................................Code A , Fax c ........... ; ._.~._:,_ ..................................... GOSPORT My Ref. DOiSM/L4(j) BOROUGH COUNCIL Your Ref: Please ask for." Chief Executive: Malcolm Crocker David Ottley~ x~.,~ .................. Extension: Direct Line: Cod eA ~ "" Email." i ~,,,ocNo [; .......... ~oa;7~-=-: ........ L ............................................... =i Mr Gareth Cruddace Hants & Isle of Wight Health Authority Oakley Road Southampton Hants SO16 4GX 20 February 2004 Dear Mr Cruddace RE: HASLAR PENINSULA POLICY STATEMENT Please find enclosed a copy of the Haslar Peninsula Policy Statement which was approved by the Council’s Policy & Organisation Board on 21 January 2004. If you have any questions about the content of the document please contact the Head of Forward Planning, David Ottley, telephone" ........... Co_de_A_ ........... i ...............Yours sincerely .............. ~UUt;; /’qk ~-~-a-;~-i ~ O ~_M- ~ ~ 5 ~-~<-E ~ ........................... CHIEF EXECUTIVE Enc ? FORWARD PLANNING Head of Forward Planning: David Ottley f% INVESTOR IN PEOPLE DOH603767-0002 GOSPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL HASLAR PENINSULA POLICY STATEMENT January 2004 DOH603767-0003 GOSPORT BOROUGH COUNCIL HASLAR PENINSULA POLICY STATEMENT January 2004 1.0 PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER 1.1 The purpose of this paper is to set out the key issues determining the future land use and transport planning of sites within the Haslar peninsula given that there are significant environmental and transportation constraints. 1.2 The paper does not provide a definitive guide to the future use or development of any site, and there have been no detailed site inspections or surveys of buildings and other structures specific to the preparation of this paper. 2.0 BACKGROUND The Haslar Peninsula 2.1 Most of the Haslar peninsula has been in the ownership of the Armed Services for more than 200 years, but the last 30 years have seen some significant changes. These include: i) Closure of the Gunboat yard, and its restoration by DERA. ii) Evolution of the Admiralty Research Establishment to the Defence Research Establishment and then to Qinetiq. iii) Consolidation, then closure of HMS Dolphin as a submarine base, and subsequent use in connection with Haslar Hospital. iv) Development of the Joint Services Sailing Centre and adjoining yacht marina. v) Establishment of the Submarine Museum as an important visitor attraction. DOH603767-0004 vi) Consolidation of RNH Haslar as the Triservice Hospital, then threatened closure and current uncertainty as to its future. vii) Reinstatement of a direct vehicular link with Gosport Town Centre across Haslar Bridge. viii) Increased security leading to more limited access to significant parts of the Peninsula. The Wider Context 2.2 Gosport’s community has been inexorably linked with the Armed Services, and particularly the Royal Navy for over 250 years. Since 1945, the United Kingdom has declined as a naval power, and the ending of the Cold War in Europe in the f late 1980’s led to various reviews of the Defence establishment. Further \ reviews of the defence estate are in progress against a background of international uncertainty following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and subsequently. 2.3 Until recently, approximately one third of the Borough of Gosport was in the ownership of the Ministry of Defence. Now significant areas of land are subject, or potentially subject to release. Gosport Borough Council has responded to this significant change with a series of initiatives including: Publication of a Community Strategy setting out the aspirations of the local community and prepared under the guidance of the Gosport Partnership which brings key organisations active in community involvement together. Establishment of an active Local Strategic Partnership. Provision of Development Briefs for and subsequent negotiation with developers of major brownfield regeneration sites. Obtaining major funding from European and National Government sources to assist with regeneration projects. DOH603767-0005 Implementation of a landmark scheme for the Renaissance of Portsmouth Harbour in partnership with Portsmouth City Council and funded by the Lottery Commission. Preparation of a Review of the Borough Local Plan to provide an up to date planning policy framework. 2.4 The consequences of major changes in the Defence Estate and the release of significant areas of land elsewhere in Gosport are pertinent to the consideration of suitable future uses on the Haslar peninsula. Some of the key factors are ¯ 1) Loss of jobs in the MoD and related sectors (and a decline in the manufacturing sector) has led to over 4000 jobs being lost since 1989 in Gosport Borough. Further Defence land reviews may lead to more job losses. ~ 2) Competition between sites for new development, this also creates uncertainty regarding future patterns of development. 3) Gosport’s peninsula location and problems of access which require a sustainable planning solution. 4) Gosport is within the South Hampshire Priority Area for Economic Regeneration in Regional Planning Guidance (RPG9). 5) Various Reviews of Defence operations and the Defence Estate are brining significant additional Service personnel to the Portsmouth Harbour area. 3.0 HASLAR PENINSULA 3.1 Haslar Peninsula is located to the south of Gosport Town Centre. To the west are the residential areas of Clayhall and Anglesey, a number of MoD establishments, including Fort Monkton, and the important open spaces at Stokes Bay and Gilkicker. To the east there are views of Old Portsmouth and Southsea across the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, and to the south The Solent and Spithead, with the Isle of Wight beyond. Potential development DOH603767-0006 opportunities presented by its attractive location are severely constrained by heritage and nature conservation designations and restricted road access. 3.2 For the purpose of this study, Haslar peninsula is considered to include: the former HMS Hornet, now Fort Blockhouse 3 Fort Blockhouse 1, including the former HMS Dolphin Royal Hospital, Haslar Qinetiq and Marine Technology Park Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Centre Submarine Museum Together these sites comprise of about 60 hectares and are shown on Plan 1. Environmental Designations and Constraints Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Protection Area, Ramsar site 3.3 A large area of Haslar Lake to the west of Haslar Bridge is included within the Portsmouth Harbour Special Protection Area, which is designated under the European Union Birds Directive. It is also designated as a Ramsar site, an internationally important wetland, and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The Portsmouth Harbour Development Group has been established to monitor developments within and in proximity to the Special Protection Area. Trees 3.4 There are a number of significant trees worthy of protection on the Haslar Peninsula. Within the Haslar Conservation Area anyone wishing to cut down, top or lop a tree (except small trees, and ones that are dead, dying, or dangerous) is required to give six weeks notice to the local planning authority. The Borough Council is also empowered to make a tree preservation order in respect of Crown land if it is considered expedient to do so in order to preserve trees in the event of the land ceasing to be in Crown ownership. 4 DOH603767-0007 Coastal Zone 3.5 PPG 20 (Coastal Planning) highlights the role of the planning system to reconcile possible development with the need to protect, conserve and, where appropriate, improve the landscape, environmental quality, wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities of the coast. Policies should conserve and improve the coastline whilst acknowledging the special character of the coast. The whole of the Haslar peninsula is within the Coastal Zone as defined in the Gosport Borough Local Plan Review and the Portsmouth Harbour Plan. Conservation Area i, 3.6 The major part of the Haslar peninsula, except for the Qinetiq site/Haslar Marine Technology Park, was designated as a Conservation Area in 1990. This designation is intended to preserve and enhance the historic or architectural interest of the area and provides a safeguard against inappropriate development. Listed Buildings 3.7 There are a number of buildings within the peninsula that are included in the Statutory List of Buildings of national historic and/or architectural interest. These are summarised in the following table. Grade II* Listed Buildings (MOD numbers in brackets) The main Haslar hospital building comprising: A Block (96) A/B Pavilion (103) B Block (108) C Block (114) Centre Block (17) D Block (16) E Block (18) E/F Pavilion (18) F Block (27) Chapel of St Luke (29) DOH603767-0008 Grade II Listed Buildings (MOD numbers in brackets) Medical Stores NW of Main Entrance (129) Boundary Wall to NE of RNH Haslar, N of Central Gateway Smoking Room (130) Central Gateway & Railings Lodge (1) Medical Stores SE of Main Entrance Boundary wall to NE of RNH Haslar, S of Central Gateway. No~s 1 - 5 (6 - 10) No.12 (12) Water Tower No.s 13 & 14 (113 & 111) 1 Haslar Terrace (48) 2 Haslar Terrace (47) 3 Haslar Terrace (46) 4 Haslar Terrace (45) Surgeon Rear Admiral’s Residence (43) 5 Haslar Terrace (60) 6 & 7 Haslar Terrace (61 & 62) 9 & 10 Haslar Terrace (64 & 65) 8 Haslar Terrace (63) Walls & Gateway attached to Garages and E end of Haslar Terrace Walls & Gateway attached to Garages and W end of Haslar Terrace Garages to Haslar Terrace (66) Garages to W of Haslar Terrace (50) There are also a significant number of other buildings which are important for their contribution to the historic significance of the setting of the Conservation Area. Scheduled Ancient Monuments 3.8 There are three groups of Scheduled Ancient Monuments within the peninsula. These are: Fort Blockhouse No.276 Haslar Gun Boat Sheds No. 505 Haslar Gun Boat Sheds (Miscellaneous Buildings) No. 506 A-F The Haslar Gun Boat Sheds (Miscellaneous Buildings) No. 506 A-F includes the Guard Houses and a major section of the wall to the Haslar Marine DOH603767-0009 Technology Park.