Odiham Parish Council Has its say
Odiham Parish Council’s two responses have been submitted to Hart District Council 13/22 – Applications 22/01347/EIA (Request for Scoping Opinion) and 22/01355/PREAPP both in relation to redevelopment proposals of approximately 32 hectares (ha) land at Lodge Farm, North Warnborough Hook
Request for Scoping Opinion
OPC Decision: The EIA for this site should include the topics listed below as this area is close to many SSSIs and residential homes.
Nationally designated sites
The development site is within or may impact on the following Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Warnborough Green Site of Special Scientific Interest Greywell Fen Site of Special Scientific Interest Basingstoke Canal Site of Special Scientific Interest Odiham Common with Bagwell Green and Shaw SSI Hook Common & Bartley Heath SSI Greywell Tunnel (Basingstoke Canal) SSI
Noise
The Noise Assessment should be required to very specifically include reversing alerts and bleepings and should include receptors in the northern part of North Warnborough Conservation Area both on Hook Road and at Mill Corner, further away from the site than those proposed in paragraph 7.7. It should also include receptors in Potbridge and Whitehall.
Traffic
The traffic assessment should include receptor locations where large numbers of smaller vehicles may travel distributing goods outwards from these proposed warehouses through sensitive areas inside adjacent Conservation Areas. The very large volumes of traffic (4,500 to 12,500 approx) per day will have a huge impact on whole surrounding areas as it is likely they will come from north and south as well as east – west on the M3. The assessment should also include the extra vehicles using the site by employees and also users of the electric charging points.
Soils and Agricultural Land Quality
Soils are a valuable, finite natural resource and should also be considered for the ecosystem services they provide, including for food production, water storage and flood mitigation, as a carbon store, reservoir of biodiversity and buffer against pollution. It is therefore important that the soil resources are protected and sustainably managed. Impacts from the development on soils and best and most versatile (BMV) agricultural land should be considered in line with paragraphs 174 and 175 of the NPPF.
Non-Significant Topics
Why are the following scoped out of the ES (page 17) Water Resources, Flood Risk and Drainage, Agriculture, Land Quality and Soils, Ground Conditions and Contamination, Human Health, Waste, Vulnerability to Major Accidents or Disasters, Energy and Sustainability, Utilities, Light Pollution, Daylight, Sunlight and Overshadowing (DSO) and Solar Glare, and Telecommunications?
They all need to be scoped in and assessed thoroughly as regards to the significant impact the development would have in each of the areas. They are referred to as Non- Significant Topics on page 68 - clearly they are of utmost significance in order to adhere to National, Regional and local policies and strategies. They need to be scoped in. –
1.38 Policy
NRM6 of the South East Plan and Policy CON1 of the Adopted Hart District Local Plan require that development proposals within 7km of the boundary of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (TBHSPA) should be assessed to identify any significant effects on that Area. Not the 5km as stated in the document. Therefore the EIA must be extended as the site falls wholly within the 7km TBHSPA.
Air Quality
The planning system plays a key role in determining the location of developments which may give rise to pollution, either directly, or from traffic generation, and hence planning decisions can have a significant impact on the quality of air, water and land. The ES should take account of the risks of air pollution.
Surface Water and Sewage
The scope of the EIA should include these as all will have a detrimental effect on already known problems in the area. Whatever drainage system is installed it would increase the pressure on the Whitewater River and presents a serious flood risk which would damage homes, wildlife and common land downstream. The land around the end of the lane is currently designated as Flood Zone 3. It is likely that the cessation of abstraction by South East Water from the aquifers at Greywell starting in 2023 will see the river flow increase and rise both on Greywell Fen and further downstream at the site of this potential proposal which is on a historical wetland area.
Landscape and visual impacts
This development site is almost entirely within the original Park Pale of a Royal Park thought to predate Domesday (1086) and affirmed by Historic England as at least from 1216. Royalty hunted here for more than 500 years, with nothing built for 1,000 years; except at Odiham Lodge, now Lodge Farm, and its scheduled remnants of a Roman Villa and a 14th C. Park Keeper’s Lodge. For this area of open landscape to be built over for the first time in its history would be a travesty. Its rights of way date back to 1215 when King John rode from Odiham Castle to Windsor to seal Magna Carta at Runnymede. The settings of the North Warnborough, the Odiham and the Basingstoke Canal Conservation Areas are very important. Screening as shown in the visualisation is wholly inadequate to such a vast task, and most of the intervening vegetation is deciduous and will therefore be ineffective during the winter months. The height of the proposed buildings mean that they will be seen from all the Conservation Areas and will have an impact on the views out from them. Expected residues and emissions (water, air and soil pollution, noise, vibration, light, heat, radiation etc.) resulting from the operation of the proposed development.
Biodiversity and Geodiversity
Paragraph 174 of the NPPF states that decisions should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by minimising impacts on and providing net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks that are more resilient to current and future pressures. Biodiversity Net Gain is additional to statutory requirements relating to designated nature conservation sites and protected species. An assessment of alternatives and clear reasoning as to why the preferred option has been chosen. A description of the measures envisaged to prevent, reduce and where possible offset any significant adverse effects on the environment
22/01355/PREAPP – Land at Lodge Farm, Hook Road, North Warnborough, Hook Outline application for Use Class B2/B8 warehousing, electric vehicle charging facility, new access from A287, associated works and landscaping.
OPC Comment:
Odiham Parish Council object to this proposal for the following reasons:
Landscape and Visual Impacts
Buildings the size of 13.5 football pitches with a height of 21 metres will be visible from a wide area. There is rising ground towards Odiham and the historic Deer Park and this site will be seen from many widely used footpaths. This site is almost entirely within the original Park Pale of a Royal Park thought to predate Domesday (1086) and affirmed by Historic England as at least from 1216. Royalty hunted here for more than 500 years, with nothing built for 1,000 years; except at Odiham Lodge, now Lodge Farm, and its scheduled remnants of a Roman Villa and a 14th C. Park Keeper’s Lodge. For this area of open landscape to be built over for the first time in its history would be a travesty. Its rights of way date back to 1215 when King John rode from Odiham Castle to Windsor to seal Magna Carta at Runnymede. The settings of the North Warnborough, the Odiham and the Basingstoke Canal Conservation Areas are very important. Screening as shown in the visualisation is wholly inadequate to such a vast task, and most of the intervening vegetation is deciduous and will therefore be ineffective during the winter months. The height of the proposed buildings mean that they will be seen from all the Conservation Areas and will have an impact on the views out from them.
Traffic
5,642 and 14,273 vehicle movements daily on a typical weekday as detailed in their traffic management scheme will have a huge detrimental effect on all surrounding roads and homes. The movements are not likely to be restricted only to the M3 but will be using roads to the north and south of the site. These roads are small A roads and not suitable to large numbers of big HGVs. Noise The noise generated by the traffic movements will be heard over a wide area.
Sites of SSI
This development close to many SSSIs will cause damage to these important areas
Pollution and Climate Change
Hart District Council has declared a climate emergency and to approve a proposal of this size which will have huge impact on the surrounding area means there will be light, noise and air pollution from this development which will have an adverse effect on surrounding residents. HGVs are a main source of roadside nitrogen oxides that are damaging to human health. This goes against NPPF para 174 (e) and 185.
Surface water and sewage
This site is in a flood risk area and there is already pressure on the existing drainage and sewage systems. If there is run off into the River Whitewater this will seriously affect the quality of this important chalk stream. It is likely that the cessation of abstraction by South East Water from the aquifers at Greywell starting in 2023 will see the river flow increase and rise both on Greywell Fen and further downstream at the site of this potential proposal which is on a historical wetland area.
Loss of Agricultural land
The further loss of good agricultural land to help UK food production should be avoided in these times of food security.
In summary, this proposal should not be allowed to continue as it is a huge over development in a rural area and will adversely affect nearby residents and have a big detrimental impact on the landscape and SSSIs.