Eastleigh Borough Councillors call on Government to scrap plans for homes on greenfield site in Hamble

Eastleigh Borough Councillors have called on the Government’s Planning Inspectorate to refuse a housing plan for 61 homes on a greenfield site beside the semi-rural Satchell Lane in the village of Hamble-Le-Rice.

Giving evidence for the Council to the Inspector for the Secretary of State at the first day of an eight day inquiry at Hedge End Social Club, Cllr Keith House said that Eastleigh Borough Council is committed to housing delivery and has secured a five-year land supply, but “does not consider that additional land outside the urban edge in the countryside beyond its Local Plan allocations needs to be agreed for development.”

He added: “As Leader of the Council and the County Councillor for the application site, I have obvious responsibilities regarding the safety of local residents, especially those who are vulnerable. I must, therefore, take very seriously the continued Local Highway Authority objection to the appeal application on the grounds that the site does not provide a safe pedestrian access to local services and facilities to the west and north, notably the local secondary school and health centre.”

Cllr House concluded: “The Borough Council is clearly and demonstrably committed to housing delivery on the most sustainable sites. It has secured a five-year land supply and it has a direction of travel on supply that demonstrates that it will continue to deliver this over the coming years. The expansion of development beyond the urban edge into the countryside in this location is not needed to meet housing targets and will add to traffic congestion along Hamble Lane through an Air Quality Management Area contrary to policy.”

Liz Jarvis, Councillor for Hamble and Netley, said:

“There were over 500 objections from local residents to the original development proposal, and I have also received emails and phone calls from residents who are deeply concerned about this appeal. And there’s a very good reason for that. There simply isn’t the infrastructure to support this development. The local GP surgery and NHS dental surgery are already under considerable pressure, with long waiting times for routine appointments. Local schools are operating at capacity. The nearest bus stop is over a mile away from the site and the train station even further. The proposed development will cause further congestion and pollution, particularly during rush hour, and have a negative impact on the lives of local residents.”

Cllr Jarvis said that the proposed development would be car-dependent because of its location and lack of footpath, pointing out that Satchell Lane and Hamble Lane are already overwhelmed with traffic during rush hour and the addition of 193 vehicles at the proposed development would compound the congestion. The adopted Eastleigh Local Plan prioritises more sustainable forms of transport, such as active travel, which includes walking and cycling.

Cllr Jarvis added that the biggest concern about the proposed development was for the safety of children and young people in the area, and said that the proposal is not aligned with the adopted Eastleigh local plan, which states that there should be no additional development on the Hamble Peninsula due to Hamble Lane capacity constraints, and is supported by Hampshire County Council in its formal role as the local highway and transport authority.

She urged the Inspector to reject the appeal, adding: “This incredibly precious part of Hampshire, with its extraordinary biodiversity and unique character, must be protected from further development.”

Planning permission for the development was refused by Eastleigh Borough Council last January. The hearing will conclude next week.