Sites omitted from Havant's 10,000-home local plan to be reviewed after pleas from landowners

SITES which planners previously refused to include in Havant’s local plan will be reviewed after renewed pleas from landowners.
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Southmere Field in Langstone and land off Westwood Close, in Emsworth, both face fresh calls for allocation in Havant Borough Council’s blueprint for 10,000 new homes.

It comes after owners and promoters of patches of land across the borough suggested their inclusion as part of a public consultation on the plan.

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Southmere Field, west of Langstone Road, is subject to a no-build covenant imposed by the council in 1980.

A view of land east of Westwood Close, Emsworth. A planning application for 36 homes at the site was rejected in 2018. Picture: Google Street ViewA view of land east of Westwood Close, Emsworth. A planning application for 36 homes at the site was rejected in 2018. Picture: Google Street View
A view of land east of Westwood Close, Emsworth. A planning application for 36 homes at the site was rejected in 2018. Picture: Google Street View

Meanwhile plans for 36 homes at Westwood Close were thrown out last year amid concerns over ecology, affordability and flooding.

Landowners have suggested the allocation of at least 11 other sites as part of the consultation.

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Councillor Tim Pike, the council's deputy leader and planning boss, said: ‘We have to look at all these sites to see whether they present a more sustainable site than some already in the plan.

Southmere Field, along Langstone Road, which land owners and promoters have encouraged Havant Borough Council to include in its Local Plan for 2036. It is one of more than a dozen sites the authority was asked to include after a public consultation into the plan, prior to it being sent to government for examination. Picture: Byron MeltonSouthmere Field, along Langstone Road, which land owners and promoters have encouraged Havant Borough Council to include in its Local Plan for 2036. It is one of more than a dozen sites the authority was asked to include after a public consultation into the plan, prior to it being sent to government for examination. Picture: Byron Melton
Southmere Field, along Langstone Road, which land owners and promoters have encouraged Havant Borough Council to include in its Local Plan for 2036. It is one of more than a dozen sites the authority was asked to include after a public consultation into the plan, prior to it being sent to government for examination. Picture: Byron Melton
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‘Each one will be reviewed in the same way we have reviewed other sites. There are some that have been ruled out before.’

Residents vowed to ‘fight' for Southmere Field after its owner, Fasset Limited, said it wanted to see it in the local plan last October.

Havant campaigner and historian, Ann Griffiths, saidoverturning the covenant would be ‘immoral’.

Both Michael Wilson, Havant's council leader, and Cllr Pike have opposed revoking the agreement.

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Cllr Pike said: ‘My view is that the council should honour the covenant on that site and it should not be built on.’

On the prospect of including Westwood Close in the plan, he added: ‘I would say if there were good reasons for it not being accepted before, there will be no change of policy and those reasons will continue to stand.

‘There were pretty serious environmental concerns about the site and I’m not aware that there will be any change to that.'

Landowners have also encouraged the council to include Hayling College's playing fields in the plan, as well as land behind 15 to 27 Horndean Road in Emsworth, land off Selsmore Road on Hayling Island and Kingscroft Farm, off Meyrick Road, in Bedhampton.

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Land south of Wade Lane, near Langstone and Hazleton Wood in Horndean have also been suggested.

It comes after concerns over infrastructure and nutrient run-off have delayed the local plan’s submission to government until summer 2020.

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