Over the last 10 months the negotiations with the developers on land East Of Horndean have been carried out to finalise the Section 106 agreement. Most of the time taken has been to review some of the highways aspects – for example the roundabouts on the B2149 in front of the development and by Rowlands Castle and the motorway junction. Multi agency agreements take a little while, but we have been able to use this to finalise the community aspects of the Section 106 agreement including the community building, cricket pitch, pavilion, allotments, public open space and more! The final tally in favour of the community is approximately £17,750,000.

12 months ago we promised one strategic development would get more community benefit than any piecemeal development ever would and below is the list of what Horndean and the surrounding area will get – All £17,750,000 of it.

It is a long list… and one we are all very proud of.

At this weekends presentation held at Merchistoun Hall around 200 local residents stopped in and saw the details and possible design for the new community building. Links to ALL of the consultation banners are at the end of this article including a copy of the questionnaires which, if you could not make it to the event, you are very welcome to fill in. Please either email or forward a hard copy to your local District Councillor or the Horndean Parish Council offices any time before the end of February.

Here is information on the new building and some of the ideas we have had so far:

Based on feedback from this weekend consultation (and any more we receive in the next month) local Parish and District councillors will progress with the plans feeding in the ideas that we receive.

Here are the links to the rest of the information boards. They give a bit more information about the school, public open space, employment sites and more:

LEoH banner building use 200×80 0116

LEoH banner community building 200×80 0116

LEoH banner highways 200×80 0116

LEoH banner masterplan 200×80 0116

LEoH banner public open space 200×80 0116

LEoH banner S106 200×80 0116

LEoH banner school retail employment 200×80 0116

LEoH banner Character Areas 200×80

LEoH banner Cricket Pitch 200×80

Here are the links to the questionnaires for the Cricket pitch and Community Building:

LEoH community building questionnaire

LEoH pavilion questionnaire

LEOH Primary School.

In the run up to the LEOH Planning Committee meeting the size of the Primary School changed from 1 form entry to 2 form entry and back to 1 form entry.

Every new home generates (on average) a need for 0.3 primary school places so the 700 homes on Land East of Horndean would generate a need for 0.3×700 = 210 spaces. A one form entry school (one class of 30 pupils for each of the 7 years at the school) would alone fill a one form entry school.

The Horndean and Rowlands Castle District Councillors with Parish Councillors invited HCC to meet and discuss our local needs. We already know local schools are oversubscribed and wanted to ensure this new school could cater not only for the new homes, but also for the current demand and other new homes.

Following these meetings HCC have confirmed the following:

1 – A 1.5 form entry school will be built on LEOH with space to extend to a two form entry school secured to extend the school in the future to a two form entry school with a capacity for 420 students.

2 – The access road to the school and land will be handed over to HCC before any houses are sold so that the school can be in place right from the start.

3 – The land owners will also pay about £5 Million to fund the building of the schools as well as handing over the land for free.

4 – HCC are also working on plans now to extend primary schools in Havant as currently about 200 pupils travel to schools here. This will also help reduce local pressure.

Cllr Elaine Tickell, said: “As local councillors we wanted to make sure the new development could address the current over-subscribed schools and make sure that the new school was in place right at the start of the development.”

Cllr Guy Shepherd, said: “When the planning committee was advised by Hampshire County Council that a single form entry school for 210 pupils was required to mitigate the development we were concerned this would not address our current needs as well as the new development. Local Councillors and EHDC Officers have worked with Hampshire County Council to look at how we can make sure Horndean is properly provided for. We are delighted that HCC has been able to review this and with capacity for 315 to 420 students we know this vital infrastructure is secured.”

Readers of this blog or the local papers may recall the Secretary of State for the DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government) issued a Section 25 notice directing East Hants not to finally determine the Land East Of Horndean planning application until he had decided if it merited being called in.

East Hants District Council have today received formal notification that the Secretary of State feels there are no grounds to call the application in, in which case East Hants are free to formally approve the application subject to the final agreement over the detail of the Section 106 agreement.

Anyone attending the planning committee meeting will also recall indecision from HCC on if the land would provide a ‘One form entry’ or a ‘Two form entry’ school. The 700 homes justify a one form entry school, but 2 form entry schools are generally more successful, and would allow additional facilities to take more pupils in from the surrounding community, including local schools that are already stretched.

I am delighted to confirm that HCC have formally asked EHDC to ensure a two form entry school is planned in which means the resilience for the schooling in this development is excellent.

Finally, As the plans for the community facilities develop, East Hants and Horndean Parish Council will be working together to hold a number of Special Community Forums and other meetings to get the widest communities view on what you would like to see in the community building and the final detail of the rest of the facilities on the development including the Pavillion, playing fields, open space and play areas.

When the dates for these meetings are known they will be announced by EHDC, HPC, in the press and posted on this blog. This represents an exciting and challenging time for Horndean and it is important that you take part.

George Hollingbery MP said:

“The Hazleton and Pyle Farm development has always had the overwhelming support of local residents and was passed by planners at East Hampshire District Council, so the announcement that it will not be subject to a ruling from Whitehall is great news.

“The decision by Brandon Lewis is also crucial to the future of the South of Butser area because it will allow the council to resist unsuitable development in the future.

“There was real fear in the community that the Hazleton development would be blocked and developers would simply be able to cherry-pick green spaces to meet housing need. That possibility has now significantly diminished.

“With a five-year land supply in place and an allocations plan well under way, EHDC are now in a much better planning position and I would like to commend all the our local councillors who have worked so hard to save the beautiful countryside South of Butser from inappropriate development.”

Here is a link to the DCLG LEOH Section 25 lifted letter if you would like to see the full details.