South West Action Group
SWAG (South West Action Group) is a voluntary group with almost 700 registered supporters. Our mission is to “Inform and Influence” on major planning issues important to the residents of the south western part of Basingstoke and the adjoining villages.
Follow us on Facebook @BasingstokeSouthWestActionGroupSWAG
Here is a brief look at the latest on a selection of the more important planning issues that we know about. To comment on any planning application go to www.basingstoke.gov.uk and click on Find a Planning Application.
If you would like to join SWAG email southwestactiongroup@gmail.com
You’ve heard of ice cream wars. Well, we may be getting MSA wars! The latest we know concerning a possible Motorway Service Area near Basingstoke is that in respect of the application by Moto for an offline MSA at Junction 6 the applicant is still in discussions with Highways England (BDBC planning reference17/034877/FUL).
Still no sign of a formal application from Applegreen for an alternative Basingstoke online MSA adjacent to Hatch Warren. But Applegreen, a major operator of petrol stations in Ireland with an expanding footprint in the UK and North America, may have had other plans in the last few months. It has been reported that Applegreen has purchased 55% of Welcome Break making it, at a stroke, one of the biggest UK MSA operators. Fleet MSA is run by Welcome Break while Winchester is Moto. What a tangled web!
A planning appeal has been lodged for a major site of 40 dwellings in Cliddesden (BDBC planning reference 16/04690/FUL). You can read all the grounds for appeal on the website but we believe the critical issue to be argued out will be the robustness of Basingstoke’s five year housing land supply. Read the document and comment, please. Possible hearing date in October – to be confirmed.
The location of two Gypsy and Traveller pitches at Hounsome Fields (BDBC planning reference18/00873/FUL) is still under consideration. At the moment a halt to the application has been called by the Company that operates the fuel pipeline that runs very close to the proposed location.
A revised version of the NPPF (the National Planning Policy Framework) came out in July. This is the document poured over and quoted in detail by planning consultants. There is still the “presumption in favour of sustainable development” and the requirement for target led growth in housing. However they’ve now added a Housing Delivery Test. If a local authority has failed to deliver at least 75% of its annual target over a rolling three year period then even more sites may need to be found.
Anyone for joining the queue on Kempshott Lane at the Fiveways traffic lights? The Transport Assessment associated with the revised Manydown plan forecasts that all roads using Fiveways will be seriously over capacity when Manydown north is completed.
A consultation is taking place on revised Ward Boundaries. Take a look at the Local Government Boundary Commission website to see the proposals for Basingstoke. You have until 15 October to comment.
