Parish Council Objects to Porch Farm Development

Kingsclere Parish Council Formally Objects to the Porch Farm Development

At the recent Ordinary Meeting of Kingsclere Parish Council (KPC), councillors decided to object to the Porch Farm planning application submitted by Vistry Group (was Bovis). The application goes next for consideration by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (B&DBC) who will make the final decision. Councillors from KPC will attend this meeting and speak in objection.

The planning application (reference 22/01856/FUL) is for two hundred houses, to be built alongside the west of the village. The Parish Council has decided that the application is opportunistic and goes against the principles and policies of Kingsclere's Neighbourhood Plan, which was overwhelmingly supported by residents in the 2018 referendum. The Neighbourhood Plan called for only fifty new houses up until 2029.

The application is only possible because B&DBC have been very slow to agree on a new housing number with the Government and so according to regulations, applications such as this can be submitted if they demonstrate sustainability. KPC believes this application does not.

In summary, Councillor Sue Adams gave the following reasons for the objection.

• KPC wish to allocate future sites for housing through the NP mechanism. The ethos underlying Neighbourhood Planning is that development should be community not developer led.
• The proposed development does not respect the landscape character of Kingsclere (Policy K6 of the NP). This is borne out by the recent Landscape Sensitivity Study which states the site is unsuitable for significant housing development.
• The siting of the development means it cannot easily be integrated into the existing settlement. It would in effect be a separate settlement adjacent to the village.
• For most of the year cycle routes and pedestrian access to the village centre would be extremely difficult resulting in greater car use. KPC believe that provision of adequate infrastructure to support walking and cycling to the village centre has not been demonstrated.
• The single access from the busy A339 is totally inadequate and would appear not to take account of advice from HCC.
• The effect of such a large increase in population would have a detrimental effect on amenities i.e., health care. Increased car usage would exacerbate car parking and traffic flow issues in the village centre.

For the above reasons KPC consider this application to be an unsustainable detrimental addition to the village of Kingsclere.

More information

Read the full letter of objection sent to B&DBC.

See the official planning application submitted by Vistry Group.

Residents can still let their views be known by contacting their Borough Councillors:

Stuart Frost: [email protected]

Kerry Morrow: [email protected]

Ken Rhatigan: [email protected]

If you would like to learn more about the current major planning proposals in Kingsclere, then see this two-part introductory article.

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