Nature Conservation Areas such as AONBs, SSSIs, SACs, Ramsar sites and SINCs are mentioned on page 7-8 of Core Strategy. The reason they have been excluded from the Core Strategy and the Gaps is because they are protected under PPS9.

But what is the reason for excluding several other areas from the CS and the Gaps which are not SINCs? For example, the meadows north of Brook Meadow (flood plain?) and the three areas proposed for development on the western and eastern sides of the Havant/Emsworth Gap?

There is no delineation on the Map of the Gaps (page 2 of the Map booklet) between land that is removed from the CS and the Gaps because it is protected elsewhere and land which is proposed for development. This is very confusing and not transparent. It is also not clear whether this land would be retained in the Gaps if the proposed sites were not selected for development.

The fact that certain areas are being proposed to be moved out of the Gaps means that the countryside outside the urban areas is being shrunk so that PPS7 can no longer apply (PPS7 controls Sustainable Development in Rural Areas).

The proposal to remove land from the countryside and the Gaps can be objected to.

The next formal opportunity to comment on the allocations plan is November 2008. Watch this site for details of the next stage. Meantime get your comments in by 25th!

PPS 3, the guidance on planning for houses, is a useful reference document for building objections around.

John Cabell writes:

having lived through world war 11, as a boy I experienced the meaning of hunger if not starvation. Although every piece of spare ground, including peoples gardens, were given over to growing food, this country had to rely on friendly convoys to make up the shortfall even though the population was far less than it is now.
With ever increasing populations world wide and reports of crop failures and as experts forecasting a real threat of this situation worsening, this country would find it very difficult to survive even if drastic rationing were introduced.
Farmland should be saved at all costs.

(this was sent as a comment on the general question area. As it makes an important point I have copied it to its own post.

Richard )

This is the place to add new information about the LDF Allocations Plan proposals

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Richard (administrator)

This is the place to comment on the Meeting that took place on 10 April.

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This is the place to add new information about the Core Strategy.

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This is the place to add new information about Greenfield Development.

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This is the place to add new information about any aspect of the LDF proposals not covered elsewhere.

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Richard

One of the issues raised at last nights meeting was whether more houses might be built on the MDA at Waterlooville.

I have taken this up with officers and the answer is good news for Winchester, [our MDA partner] who do hope to allocate some of their extra LDF quota there and bad news for HBC. We apparently have already used all our available land on the site leaving little or no extra room for any expansions. All the potential expansion land is in the Winchester City Council area.

I think this is grossly unfair, as its HBC which has to accommodate the extra shops, services and road infrastructure to support the MDA and yet will receive no extra benefit in housing numbers.

I also hope that the MDA will not be like Leigh Park, something built by Portsmouth CC with an unfair burden being placed on Havant and its severely stretched services. The MDA will be out of sight, out of mind as far as Winchester is concerned.

The debate goes on!

Brendan Gibb-Gray