HAMPSHIRE FARM H5.1 233/1      

The following are suggestions for you to put in your objection to the proposed designation of Hampshire Farm as a Reserve Housing Site. This list is not exhaustive and you may well have additions of your own.

You MUST mention on the form to the Council, H5.1 paragraph 233/1 - Modified Plan  - Section 5 on page 2 of the form  (use a separate forms for each site).

Section 6 is where you make your main objections, additional pages, clearly marked with your name, address and paragraph number 233/1 can be included – we suggest you staple them together.


Print your own copies of these notes for distribution use this   PDF formatted version  to print onto 2 sides of A4 paper.

Planning History of Hampshire Farm

  1. The Hampshire Farm site has never been formally proposed as a housing site; the only official planning application was for an equestrian centre in 1999 which was withdrawn by the owner in 2000. Hampshire Farm was therefore not available for review at the Public Inquiry in 2002-2003.

  2. It was omitted from all earlier versions of the local plan and was rejected by Full Council because, "the site is within the Emsworth Gap, separating Emsworth/ Westbourne. Any development would be highly visible and would have a severe narrowing impact on the open Gap.”
  3. Even though Hampshire Farm was omitted from all earlier versions of the local plan, it was used as the basis for the rejection of an alternative site (Land West of Recreation Ground) and was substituted for the Land West of the Recreation Ground as a Reserve Housing site. This was without the opportunity for objection by other interested parties, the only parties allowed to comment on Hampshire Farm to the Inspector has been the developer and Council officials. Potential objectors to Hampshire Farm proposals were unable to present their case - which must make his decision unsafe.
  4. The south-western corner of Hampshire Farm has been in set aside since 2001.


Urban Extension

  1. The urban area of Emsworth is already large enough, further urban extensions are a threat to its unique character.
  2. A large housing estate of the size proposed is not in keeping with the semi-rural character of Long Copse Lane and Redlands Lane.
  3. The line of recently planted trees will not provide the proposed screening to the site from the settlement of Westbourne for a generation.

Strategic Gaps

  1. The proposed development is a clear reduction of the Strategic Gap to the east of Emsworth and conflicts with Council policy stated on page 19 of the current Local Plan:  “Development will not be permitted which would diminish the Emsworth/Chichester Gap, physically or visually”.
  2. It reduces the already narrow gap between Emsworth and Westbourne by one third. This also conflicts with Council policy: “The Emsworth/Chichester Gap plays an important role in helping to maintain the visual break and separate identities of Emsworth from the settlements of Southbourne and Westbourne in West Sussex”.

Landscape and Views

  1. The proposed development would destroy part of the Landscape Character Area called the Southleigh Mosaic consisting of mixed woodland and farmland, according to Havant Borough Landscape Assessment 1995.
  2. The argument that the site adjoins an existing urban area can be made for any expansion of an existing settlement into the countryside. The fact that the eastern side of Redlands Lane is not developed and forms the edge of the urban area is what creates the view.
  3. The view from Redlands Lane is important just because of the wide open space, with the spire of Westbourne Church in the distance. "A new closer view of the spire" is not a valid replacement for this vista.

Open Spaces

  1. The location of the proposed open space at the most easterly point in the Borough will not be of benefit to the majority of residents of Havant Borough, but rather to those in West Sussex, especially in Westbourne.
  2. The new open space at Horndean Road/Emsworth Common Road will go a considerable way to reducing the acknowledged shortfall of recreational space in Emsworth.


Environmental Issues

  1. This area provides valuable habitats to a wide variety of wildlife.
  2. There is a colony of bats (some of which may be protected species) in the area whose location needs to be safeguarded. In addition, Roe Deer, Red Foxes and Tawny Owls are regular visitors to the site. There is a row of mature Oaks along the northern edge with some recent tree planting in a north-south line. A detailed ecological survey needs to be carried out.
  3. The wildlife value of the site needs to be independently assessed.


Accessibility and Sustainability

  1. Accessibility Assessment: There are many inconsistencies in the Accessibility Assessment of 1999 in which Hampshire Farm was ranked 4th out of  22 proposed  reserve housing sites compared with 2001 when it was ranked 15th out of 29.
  2. Transport: The train station is approx. 1.3 kilometres from the centre of the proposed site. Car transport will be necessary to use the train service and the station car parking is overloaded.  Vehicle movements will average an additional 1,800 movements a day.
  3. Education: Primary schools are not within the 600 metres as stated in the Borough guidelines. The distance from the centre of the site is 1.1 kilometres to St James School (the nearest primary school) which is fully subscribed. The closest source of secondary education is more than 2 kilometres away which exceeds the required 1.5 kilometres as specified by the Council.
  4. Shopping: Major shopping will involve additional car use contrary to Council and Central Government sustainability guidelines.

Reduction of Need for Reserve Housing Sites

The requirement for Reserve Housing sites has been reduced from 500 to 400. With windfall sites and extensive Brownfield developments becoming available (e.g. Proctor and Gamble site on Dunsbury Way), the need is reduced even further and Hampshire Farm should be eliminated from the list of reserve housing sites.