The second consultation for the plans for ‘Land East Of Horndean’ was held yesterday at Napier hall after development organisers WYG sent an invitation to every home in Horndean. (For those who do not open envelopes addressed to “Dear Occupier” you will have binned it without realising but dont worry you can see the full set here, and comment.)
The plans shown drew in a number of amendments from the community feedback, including a separate access for the employment sites which previously shared the same roads as the school and shops and a lot more more detail.
This location is the clear community preference as to where Horndean’s housing need is placed (see earlier articles on Horndean Housing Consultation) and if we are to fight off developments like White Dirt Farm and the string of sites along Lovedean Lane then this is our alternative option.
My view has been that the scheme must include excellent community facility to secure our support, and the plans shown yesterday go a very long way to achieve this, and provided the community facility retains this detail and grows I will be firmly supporting this as our best solution to our housing need, and best protection against other unwanted developments.
If the application is successful then there will need to be further community meetings and consultations to discuss and seek your views on what goes into the community building and other facilities (Is it a hall like Jubilee and Napier for general use, does it contain leisure facilities etc).
WYG are planning to put an application into EHDC in the next 4 weeks. This will be posted here along with details on how to comment whether you support, or are against the development. In the meantime WYG are inviting feedback on these plans and you can email the comments to them on landeastofhorndean@wyg.com by the 8th August. A decision would be made just before Christmas. This application is for Outline Permission and if successful will then be followed by applications for detailed approval.
Click Here for the link to the full consultation information presented yesterday. The file is 6MB so may take a short while to download. In the meantime 3 excerpts have been included below and you can click on the images to enlarge them.
Masterplan of the whole site:
Community Hub of Shops, School and Community Building:
Cricket Pitch, Pavillion, Care Home and ‘Down Sizing’ Properties:
The statement by the developers that they have listened to the feedback from the previous consultation and ‘refined’ their proposals is both disingenuous and dishonest. The EHDC consultation clearly showed democratically an almost 100% rejection of any development to the north of the Rowlands Castle road towards Blendworth; yet the ‘refined’ plans still include development in that sector. The developers at their presentation at Napier Hall claimed that the previous vote was in favour of the entire development. That is a total misrepresentation and flagrantly ignores local opinion. Hazleton was the area where development was supported; NOT the area north of the Rowlands Castle road.
Development at Hazelton is apparently inevitable and at Pyle Farm it appears unstoppable. However, any development north of the RC road is fundamentally flawed. It is not required. It will add very few additional housing units yet it will destroy this area of outstanding beauty. It is an essential amenity area used by large numbers of horse riders and walkers. This land has a rich heritage and history associated with the listed building, Hook Cottage.
The traffic that would arise from developing this area will lead to deaths and injuries. The junctions of other lanes onto the Rowlands Castle road are very dangerous already. The creation of ‘rat runs’ through these single track country lanes is inevitable if development north of the Rowlands Castle road is permitted.
This part of the developer’ plans has nothing to do with what local people want and is only about making money for one or two landowners and the developers. It is totally undemocratic and should be refused. It is all about commercial greed and nothing to do with local community wishes.