Agenda item

Proposal Description: Demolition of the existing residential dwelling and annex, and the erection of five residential dwelling houses, with associated access, landscaping and parking.

The application was introduced and during public participation, Mark Leigh spoke in objection to the application, Chris Rees (Applicant) and Nick Culhane (Highway Consultant for the applicant) spoke in support of the application and Councillor Frances Strange, (Compton and Shawford Parish Council) spoke against the application and answered members' questions.

Councillor Jan Warwick spoke as a ward member and expressed several points on behalf of residents which could be summarised as follows.

1. That over 100 residents had expressed concerns about the proposal, primarily focusing on its material and cumulative impact on the community.
2. The proposal went against key planning policies, including District Local Plan Policies DM15, 16, 17, and 18, as well as the Compton Down Local Area Design Statement and the Compton and Shawford Village Design Statement.
3. The residents' association had raised concerns about traffic issues and setting a precedent for high-density development.
4. She felt that multiple grounds existed for refusing this application, encompassing both highway concerns and issues with the proposed properties.
5. That the proposed properties extended significantly beyond the existing building lines along Shepherds Lane, greatly increasing the density.
6. That Shepherds Lane had six existing dwellings and Field Close behind it, where privacy would be compromised by this development.
7. That the removal of trees and hedgerows, the proximity to other properties, and a lack of privacy screening showed inadequate provisions to minimise the impact of development.
8. That the proposal lacked smaller or social housing options, opting for five very large houses, neglecting a diverse community's needs, and contravening policy CP2.
9. That the choice of five large properties seemed economically driven, rather than a result of community or Parish Council discussion.
10. That if the application were to be approved then the following amendments were requested:
    1. Reconfiguring plans to align with Shepherds Lane's existing building line.
    2. Ensuring all third-story windows faced the rear, protecting existing residents' privacy.
    3. Installing established hedging for front boundaries to harmonise with the street scene.
    4. Implementing rigorous traffic management and promptly repairing road and verge damage to an adoptable standard.

Councillor Adrian Brophy spoke as a ward member and expressed several points on behalf of residents which could be summarised as follows.

1)    He wished to raise resident concerns about road safety and its impact.

2)    That objective reports spanning two decades highlighted local infrastructure challenges.

3)    That housing proposals in Compton Down faced repeated rejections due to density-related road safety concerns over 20 years.

4)    That concern originated from inadequate road infrastructure, particularly at Otterbourne Road and Shepherds Lane junctions, which were considered unsafe by residents.

5)    That Hampshire Highways' current assessment contradicted prior evaluations, leading to a request for a deferred decision and detailed justification for changes.

6)    That junctions, including Shepherd's Lane, Hurdle Way, and the busy Otterbourne Road, raised highway safety concerns due to design concerns, affecting visibility and safety.

7)    He presented past refused applications, including:

a)    In 2003, the Hurdle Way redevelopment refused permission due to junction inadequacies, emphasizing hazardous conditions.

b)    In 2004, a Hampshire County Council traffic survey found that three additional housing units caused a significant traffic increase, compromising safety.

c)    In 2005, four houses on Cliff Way were refused due to traffic increases and safety concerns.

d)    Post-2005 surveys found infill breaches, leading to an embargo on infill dwellings by Winchester City Council in 2006.

e)    In 2006, concerns arose over incremental developments on Windy Ridge and Cliff Way, impacting traffic flow at junctions with substandard visibility.

f)      In 2008, applications were rejected for cumulative traffic increases exceeding five per cent, deemed material.

8)    That nothing substantial has changed since then, with the same safety issues persisting, highlighted by recent accidents at Cart and Horses Junction in Kingsworthy.

9)    That these concerns without substantial changes supported a fresh Hampshire Highways evaluation.

The Committee proceeded to ask questions and debate the application and received additional advice from the committee’s legal officer and Service Lead: Built Environment regarding highway matters and the weight that members should give to consultee responses.

RESOLVED

The committee agreed to grant permission for the reasons and subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report. In addition, the committee asked that their views expressed regarding the Landscaping Plan be further considered by officers.

Councillor Read left the meeting after this item and did not return.