Hampshire Farm – update for July ERA QGM
Following a resident’s excellent letter to the Prime Minister on 12 May drawing his attention to Hampshire Farm, the matter came to the attention of Nicole Eakins, representing Central Government in the SE. She is treating it as a request to call in the application for a public inquiry once the DMC has made its decision on 9 September.
DMC scheduled for Thursday, 9 September. I have asked Mark Gregory for an extension from the usual 5 minutes deputation to 15 minutes, eg, 3 speakers covering different aspects of objection. Let’s fill the public galleries. Sue Organ, our Planning Consultant, has agreed in principle to be one of the deputees.
CPRE have agreed to support us in objecting and will be influential in our fight to protect this green field site.
You already know we are fighting on the grounds of:
- Inappropriate use of this Reserve site. This application is in advance of the Local Development Framework which has yet to be implemented.
- The local Emsworth gap should be preserved to avoid a severe narrowing impact
- The Surgery. Has a Business/viability impact on the village of Westbourne and the town of Emsworth been done? We doubt it. There is no indication of how the surgery will impact the site, with no footpath on either side of Westbourne Road.
- Travel plan needs to offer connections to other locations.
- Section 106 public involvement process was not observed at the pre-planning stage
- Lack of infrastructure shortages in the way of schools, roads, public transport
- The emotive word, “perpetuity” inspired Tony Lowes to research into the 1964 Perpetuities Act and also the Land Registry, where it was revealed that this “open space” is unregistered with a Caution Title.
- Is it a coincidence that the 17 hectares exact footprint of promised recreational space is not registered at the Land Registry?
- All the housing is on registered land, and all open space is on unregistered land – another coincidence?
- Linden Homes have an Unregistered Caution Title which is a first step to them applying for a Substantive First Charge, after which the Land Registry could offer them a First Charge. And with that, they would have full title and be able to build.
- How can “in perpetuity” be made to stick, given the above? This aspect of the application requires transparency and is casual in its presentation. We will object on the grounds of the uncertain future ownership and no detail of protection in perpetuity. Both of these aspects need investigation and clarification by the Council’s Legal Department.
- Tony also uncovered a map which was not previously included in planning documentation which shows minerals (gravel) to be on Hampshire Farm. S15 Sterilisation of Mineral Deposits ( of Minerals & Waste Core Strategy) says “proposals for permanent development which would sterilise mineral deposits shown on the key diagram, or subsequently in the Hampshire Minerals Plan or on the Proposals Map, will be resisted unless provision is made for extraction prior to the commencement of development, or other planning considerations apply”.
- Sharing the objections among the deputees and writing scripts for 9 September is our next step – residents, planning professionals and ERA. If as a resident, you’d like to be part of this effort, please let me or Denys know.