Changes since 2022 consultation

A public consultation on these proposals took place between 6 September and 9 October 2022.

The main themes raised in feedback from the public were:
 

• Highways and access

• Jobs and economic impact

• Biodiversity

• Drainage and flooding

Following this feedback, a number of changes have been made to the proposals, including the removal of the electric car charging centre.

Highways and access

The initial proposals included an electric car charging facility with capacity for 200 vehicles, to help provide for the future of increased numbers of electric cars using Britain’s motorways. However, it was noted by respondents to the consultation that the additional cars using this facility would put unwelcome strain on local roads, junctions, and roundabouts.

Accordingly, the car charging facility has been removed from the updated proposals.

Jobs and economic impact

In order to demonstrate the local need for jobs in logistics, further economic analysis will be submitted with the planning application.

Biodiversity

Further work has been done to ensure that there will be no impact on Bartley Heath, Hook Common, and the River Whitewater.

A wider buffer of semi‐natural habitat will be retained adjacent to the Bartley Heath SINC and safeguards will be required to protect this and other nearby designations during development of the site.

Additional wildlife ponds and wetlands have been proposed compared to our initial plans.

A thorough assessment of the trees on the site has been carried out, ensuring that all the most valuable trees on the site will be retained, and the loss of the trees that are in a worse condition is mitigated by extensive replanting.

Drainage and flooding

Following the public consultation and further consultation with Hampshire County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority, and updated Flood Risk Assessment has been prepared. The proposals have been designed to locate built development at the lowest risk of flooding. As such, the site can be developed safely without increasing flood risk elsewhere, and therefore the development proposals comply with relevant planning policy concerning flood risk. Additional sustainable drainage featured have been included in the revised scheme, including:
 

• Permeable paving to remove pollutants from runoff prior to discharge

• Swales and ditches to channel runoff

• New detention basis to retain runoff and provide biodiversity, ecology, and amenity benefits

• Storage crates beneath hardstanding areas to provide additional storage for runoff

• Green roofs on some buildings, with the possibility of reusing rainwater for toilet flushing