Highclere villagers urged to have their say on housing development

Parish council calls special public meeting in village

HIGHCLERE villagers have been urged to attend a public meeting tomorrow (Tuesday March 22) evening and have their say about a development for 50 houses proposed for a large greenfield site in the village.

Highclere Parish Council has called the meeting to firm up its stance on behalf of villagers, in view of a looming April 15 deadline to lodge any objections or comments about the proposals with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC).

JPP Land Ltd has applied to the borough council for outline planning permission to build 50 houses off the A343, on a site bordering Andover Road and Westridge.

The application, submitted on February 22, includes an unspecified community facility, public space and new access from the A343, and follows two public meetings hosted by the developers, in February and December, at Highclere Village Hall.

Highclere parish councillor, Horace Mitchell, stressed the urgency of lodging objections with the borough council, in view of the impending deadline and the looming Easter, half-term break.

This deadline has been extended, at local councillors’ request from March 31.

“This is an order of magnitude greater than any previous planning application in, or adjacent to, Highclere village,” said Mr Mitchell.

The parish council issued a statement on Monday, March 14, regarding the public meeting, which was called due to “widespread public concern at an unprecedented scale of development” in the village.

The public meeting – held thanks to a local club that gave up its regular activity to free up the hall for the evening – will include input from Highclere Society, as part of the 300-member group’s consideration of all planning applications in Highclere and Penwood and expertise in such matters.

The parish council also plans to consult with an officer from the borough council on the issue of the site being within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The meeting, at Highclere Village Hall, is at 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start and will end by 9pm.

For queries contact the parish council clerk, Sue Edwards on (01635) 253677 or email parishclerk@highclerevillage.com.

For more details visit Highclere Parish Council’s website www.highclere-pc.org.uk.