Here’s another developer trying it on with an application for outline planning permission.
The site in question is the Southmere Hay Meadow (click the link to open the application). This site will be well known to all who drive between Havant and Hayling as being the last piece of green space to the west of the A3023.
The application is for 65 houses, of between 2 and 2.5 stories height, to be accessed from The Mallards, a small estate built in the late 90s. The application is well covered by our peer groups to the south of the town, and Havant Civic Society will take our cue from their responses. These, we note, are already being posted to the Public Access planning portal for Havant Borough Council and to give you a taste of the content, we’ve taken the liberty of quoting from one of the local resident’s responses already loaded:
“This land is not designated for housing and is not included in the Draft Local Plan. A Transport Assessment was required for Hayling Island as part of the preparation of the Local Plan, elements of which remain unresolved. However, to avoid further stressing of the A3023 before the Adoption of the new Local Plan the Borough Council resolved to refuse permission for any new accesses to be formed onto that road. PHSC propose to defeat that restriction by forming an access to their development from the existing Mallards access road. This would create an unacceptable overload on the junction with the A3023 and compromise the use of other access within The Mallards development.
The field, known as Southmere, is a vital part of a green corridor of undeveloped land linking Chichester and Langstone Harbours and separating the original Langstone settlement from urban Havant. It is an ecological haven for many different plant species and protected birds, having not been ploughed for more than a hundred years. When Bosmere Field was lost to the building of the Langbrook Farm Family Restaurant and a Premier Inns Hotel, the developers excused the loss of that field by arguing the habitat for the displaced wildlife would be replaced at Southmere.
More than 40 years ago, when the development of The Mallards started, the then landowner covenanted with Havant Borough Council to the effect “that no house or other dwelling unit shall be built on the land and the land shall not be developed to provide residential accommodation of any sort.” The Borough Council has previously acknowledged the binding nature of this covenant and maintained and honoured its effect on the site.”
Many of us use that route regularly, and all of us in and around Havant value what little green space remains. Once you’ve read the documentation associated with the planning application, if you feel strongly, take this link to comment directly in the usual way.
If you would like a little guidance first on how to comment on an application, take this link to review our simple guide.
#rethinkhavant
And finally…. we note once again that “The Traffic Team have no adverse comment to make”. Clearly there are no traffic issues with the A3023 between Havant and Hayling Island. It’s rather surprising how little Havant Borough Council seems to know about traffic in and around the town.
Havant Civic Society 
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