No to dozen homes on construction yard in Baughurst

Plans for 14 homes in a rural area in Baughurst have been turned down.

Noel Doyne of NJ Doyne Construction had been hoping to build the homes off Inhurst Lane, currently the site of a commercial yard full of shipping containers.

Speaking in a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council planning meeting on Wednesday, Steven Cottrell, of agent SWC Design, argued the yard was “out of character” with the area, and the street would be better suited with a “high quality residential development”.

He said: “The site is very much contained and will only allow for small glimpses of houses, whereas right now you’re seeing shipping containers stacked two or three high.

“This site will provide a good range of high quality, market affordable homes in an area that has good transport links with buses to Woodlands Road, will make efficient use of the land and will make a considerable contribution to the five year housing land supply and the waiting list for affordable homes.”

Councillors disagreed, however, citing the development’s location within the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone (DEPZ) of the nearby AWE and objections from different officers.

The scheme was also recommended for refusal by the council’s planning officers on the grounds that it was in the DEPZ and would “result in an incongruous form of development which would fail to respect the established character and pattern of development in the surrounding rural area”.

Paul Gaskell (Con, Oakley & The Candovers) said: “I have concerns about the DEPZ.

“It’s been drawn up by people far more educated in this area than we are.

“It’s not for us to override that and for that reason, I can’t vote for this development.

Stuart Frost (Con, Tadley North, Kingsclere & Baughurst) said he “quite liked” the development, but said he couldn’t ignore the objections from landscape, tree and urban design officers.

He added: “I understand we don’t have the five year land supply, but I’m also aware whilst there is no objection from the housing officer, I’m not convinced this application complies with a lot of our policies.”

Paul Harvey (BDI, Norden) said he had concerns over the lack of clarity on the affordable housing and shared ownership offering.

The decision was by no means unanimous, however.

Both former leader Ken Rhatigan (Con, Tadley North, Kingsclere & Baughurst) and Angie Freeman (Lab, Winklebury & Manydown) said the scheme would be more in keeping with the area than the current commercial use.

Ms Freeman said: “I happen to think a small housing development on the site would be far more in keeping with a rural setting than a walloping great construction yard.”

Mr Rhatigan added: “Brownfield sites should be the first to be developed.

“My view is this is a sustainable site, you can walk to The Hurst and there is a bus service.

“We don’t have enough social housing in my ward. The level of sofa surfing in Tadley is huge.”

The scheme was rejected by eight votes to five.