LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK (LDF) and the STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AREA (SDA)

1. The LDF (which, when finally adopted by FBC, will replace the Local Borough plan) seeks to identify how Fareham will be developed between now and 2026. In particular, it identifies how the Government’s house building and job creation targets will be met and on which sites development will be allowed. The good news for Wallington, is that the village sites previously identified in the LDF for potential development (Gauntlett’s field, Pinks Hill and land at the junction of North Wallington/Standard Way) have now been dropped from the latest version of the LDF. The reason for this is because FBC aim to achieve their targets by using existing “brownfield” sites, together with the SDA itself; the latter will be the only “Greenfield” site on which new development will be permitted.

2. The (North of Fareham) SDA is a major new development of up to 10,000 houses, with associated schools, community and employment facilities that will be built between Fareham and Wickham in the period 2016 – 2026. Although the exact boundary of the SDA has yet to be agreed, it will however straddle both sides of the A32, will reach from the M27 up towards Wickham and will encircle Funtley and Knowle. Currently it is not clear how much of the SDA will be to the East of the A32 (i.e.: on our side of the Wickham road). It is likely that a new access road will be built from Junction 11 of the Motorway to serve as the primary access route in/out of the SDA. In order to limit the traffic impact of the SDA, major improvements to public transport are intended, including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system which will link the SDA with Gosport, Fareham and Portsmouth and the use of Junction 10 of the motorway as a priority route for buses and High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV’s).

3. Depending on exactly where the boundaries of the SDA are finally drawn, this massive development will potentially have a significant impact on our lives in the future. Accordingly and as a part of an ongoing consultation process, the following comments on the LDF and SDA proposals have been submitted by WVCA, in order to try and minimise the impact on the Village.

Note: The LDF/SDA documents on which these comments are based are contained on the FBC website and can be accessed by using the following link: www.fareham.gov.uk/council/departments/planning/ldf/cssreport.asp

WVCA Response

A) EMPLOYMENT/SUSTAINABILITY – Whilst the concept of sustainable employment is fully supported, the reality is that unless firms moving into the SDA are incentivised to employ those actually living there, then the concept becomes ineffective. Fundamentally, employers will retain the right to recruit the most suitable employees and in practical terms the sustainable employment concept of the SDA is un-enforceable. Accordingly “worst case scenario” data ought to be used when calculating daily commuter traffic in/out of the SDA.

B) DEVELOPMENT CONTROL POLICY (DCP)2 – States …….that the SDA “ought not detract from the surrounding countryside, landscape quality, skyline etc”. Specifically, how can the impact of the SDA on the countryside views currently enjoyed by residents in North Fareham (The Meadows/Furzehall Avenue and Wallington), be minimised?

C) DEVELOPMENT CONTROL POLICY (DCP) 4 – A “Downstream Flooding Impact Assessment” needs to be conducted by the Environment Agency in order to ensure that the SDA does not exacerbate the existing flooding problems in Wallington (Background and rationale as per the deputation made by WVCA to the LDF Steering Group Meeting on 14^th Jan 09)

D) INFRASTUCTURE – Primary access to/from the SDA via J11 of the M27 carries significant risks. The junction is already at or near capacity and traffic volumes are increasing year on year; accordingly its ability to absorb the additional SDA related traffic is questionable and this may have the effect of effectively “grid locking” the eastern part of Fareham town centre during peak times. (See also TRANSPORT at Para I)

E) GREEN BUFFER ZONES – The proposal (North of Fareham SDA Para 1.46) to provide Open Space between the SDA and existing settlements (Funtley, Knowle, Wickham and the North of Fareham) is fully supported. This issue becomes particularly important with regard to the land/floodplain in the vicinity of M27/J11 and options regarding the “re-alignment” of the A32 in order to provide access to/from the SDA need to take serious account of this issue. (Deputation at Para C above also refers)

F) HOUSING PROVISION – Particularly given the current difficulties in the housing market, the principle that any shortfall in SDA housing provision will NOT have to be compensated for by an uplift in Fareham’s provision, is fully supported (Housing paper – Para 1.7) Similarly supported, is the LDF policy that the Fareham specific housing target will be met from within existing urban areas and the only element of building allowed on Greenfield sites between now and 2026, will be within the SDA itself.

G) SUSTAINABLE URBAN DRAINAGE SYSTEM (SUDS) (North of Fareham SDA Para 1.52) – This principle is fully supported and takes on particular significance given that the current proposals imply that a significant element (75%) of the employment/business infrastructure supporting the SDA will be to the East of the A32. All of this land drains ultimately into the River Wallington and stringent mechanisms will need to be put in place to ensure that flooding and river quality issues are not jeopardised. Additionally, the area on either side of the River Wallington and north of the Motorway adjacent to Junction 11 forms part of the Wallington Floodplain as designated by the Environment Agency. (Deputation at Para C above also refers)

This issue is recognised in part, by the Environment Agency in the Infrastructure paper at Para 1. 14, and the Agency are on record (in previous correspondence with WVCA) as stating that the policies contained within PPG 25 apply to this area.

H) PERCEPTIONS/IMPACT OF THE SDA – Until such time as the boundary of the SDA is identified, local people find it extremely difficult to understand/visualise what the impact will be. Whilst the reasons for this lack of clarity in the early stages are appreciated, a point in time will be reached at which FBC will become accountable (in every sense, including political) for the decision/agreement to build, on totally unspoilt countryside; albeit in pursuit of Government derived housing targets. Despite what is a very comprehensive and commendably informative website, I would suggest that the vast majority of Fareham residents have a very limited perception of what the impact of the SDA will be. This will represent a significant PR challenge, the extent of which needs to be recognised.

I) TRANSPORT – Noting that the SDA is projected to generate very significant traffic levels and that re-alignment of the A32 to J11 will have a high financial and environmental cost (1.25) this potentially strengthens the case for treating the re-alignment of the A32 as an essential pre-requisite before ANY part of the SDA is developed. In similar vein, given that J11 and indeed other Motorway junctions will be at or in excess of their capacity by 2016 let alone 2026 (1.28), then regional funding to address these issues ought also be considered as a prerequisite. Additionally, the suggestion (Infrastructure Para 1.6) to investigate M27 traffic management options and to examine the future loading on Junctions 9/10/11 is fully supported.

J) ENVIRONMENTAL/BIODIVERSITY IMPACT OF THE SDA – The Natural Environment paper correctly recognises (Para 1.42) that development of the SDA will result in the loss of large areas of countryside and some of the best and most versatile agricultural land; the impact of which has yet to be quantified. As a means of ameliorating this loss, it is for consideration that either regional funding and/or developer contributions ought be sought, in order to carry out environmental improvement and enhancement programmes on the fringes of those areas encroached upon by the SDA.

K) PROVISION OF OPEN SPACE – Table 1 (Natural Environment – Para 1.28) clearly shows a significant under-provision of Open Space for the residents in North Fareham & Wallington. The existing footpaths from Wallington Watermeadow towards Spurlings Farm and from Broadcut (over the M27 footbridge) towards North Fareham Farm, which currently provide access to the countryside beyond, go some way to ameliorating this shortfall. Accordingly, this issue serves to highlight the fundamental importance not only of the Buffer zone (see also Para E above) between Fareham/Wallington and the SDA, but of linking these footpaths to the open spaces being planned within the SDA itself.