Hart Council starts the process of identifying brownfield opportunities
In a welcome development, it appears as though Hart Council has started the process of identifying brownfield opportunity areas.
These include Pyestock (aka Hartland Park), Ancells Farm and part of Redfields Business Park. This is an important development as Hart had previously ruled out Pyestock as a location.
They also identify a wide range of other brownfield sites, from the SHLAA that were deemed to have a capacity of 592 units, at an average density of 32.5 dwellings per hectare.
| Parish/Ref | Sum of Site Assessment Capacity (Low) | Sum of Site Assessment Capacity (High) | Sum of Size (Ha.) | Average of Low Density (dpa) |
| Blackwater and Hawley | 320 | 320 | 12.00 | 26.7 |
| SHL100 | 320 | 320 | 12.00 | 26.7 |
| Church Crookham | 6 | 6 | 0.42 | 14.3 |
| SHL28 | 6 | 6 | 0.42 | 14.3 |
| Elvetham Heath | 45 | 45 | 2.25 | 20.0 |
| SHL104 | 45 | 45 | 2.25 | 20.0 |
| Fleet | 221 | 221 | 3.56 | 62.1 |
| SHL113 | 12 | 12 | 0.68 | 17.6 |
| SHL245 | 8 | 8 | 0.18 | 44.4 |
| SHL320 | 150 | 150 | 1.80 | 83.3 |
| SHL322 | 37 | 37 | 0.61 | 60.7 |
| SHL41 | 6 | 6 | 0.05 | 120.0 |
| SHL42 | 8 | 8 | 0.24 | 33.3 |
| Grand Total | 592 | 592 | 18.23 | 32.5 |
Whilst this is a welcome development, it is clear that work is yet to start on the rest of the district outside the environs of Fleet and Church Crookham.
We do call into question the assertions in the consultation that there is only capacity for 450 units on brownfield sites and the timing of the consultation, as it seems clear that brownfield capacity is going to rise significantly, so we will not need a new town, nor urban extensions.
If you would like to ask Hart to redouble its efforts to build the case for a brownfield solution to our housing needs, we urge you to respond to the Hart District Council consultation about the Local Plan and ask them to think again. We have created a dedicated consultation page and two guides to responding to the consultation that are available on the downloads below. The comments are designed to be cut and pasted into the boxes provided. It will be very powerful if you could edit the comments into your own words. Please do find time to respond to the consultation and play your part in saving our countryside.
Full version:
2 Minute version:
I saw someone come up with a calculation about the same as yours.
David, has anyone calculated the cost per household to bridge the gap in infrastructure costs between developer contributions and what wi be required to fund the actual infrastructure requirements of a new settlement at Winchfield. The shortfall will be the liability of local council tax payers in the district. Once people are aware of the coat to them there will be a change of attitude. My rough calculation is £5,800 per household… Why would any council tax payer agree to that liability? I don’t…