ROADS AND DEVELOPMENT SUB-COMMITTEE ITEM 12
23RD JULY 1990
INFILLING OF DISUSED PIT AND PROVISION OF A TEMPORARY VEHICULAR
ACCESS AT BACK LANE, CLANVILLE (APPLICATION NO. TVN 5790)
REPORT OF THE COUNTY PLANNING OFFICER
1. Application has been made to infill a disused and overgrown
chalk pit and to provide a temporary vehicular access at Back Lane,
Clanville.
2. The site, as illustrated on the attached plan, extends to
about 0.1 hectares and is immediately to the south of Back Lane,
approximately 100 metres west of its junction with Clanville Road.
Immediately to the west of the pit lies Old Paddock Cottage and to
the east Poplar Farm.
3. The site was shown on the Ordnance Survey Map of 1873 as an
old chalk pit. It contains many characteristics of ancient woodland
including a tree and shrub layer comprising Pendunculate Oak, Ash,
Field Maple, Hazel, Holly, Elm, Yew, Hawthorn and Elder, together
with a rich ground flora including a good population of Bluebells,
Primrose and Wood Anenome. The pit has been subject to a limited
amount of fly-tipping although the nature conservation interest of
the site remains largely undisturbed.
4. It is proposed to infill the pit with surplus spoil from
building contract works and to restore the site to surrounding
ground levels. No details are provided in the application about the
volume of fill, the anticipated duration of tipping operations, the
number of vehicles likely to visit the site on a daily basis or the
proposed afteruse. However, I estimate that the site has a void
capacity of 4,500 cubic metres and this would result in the
generation of 135 lorry movements.
5. The applicant claims the perimeter trees would be retained,
although an examination of the submitted cross-sectional drawing
shows that the finished levels would threaten the well developed
fringe of mature trees on the upper banks and around the perimeter
of the pit.
6. Access to the site would be gained from the existing access
to Poplar Farm onto Back Lane. The applicant has failed to include
the proposed means of access within the application site.
Consultations
7. The County Surveyor (Highways) recommends refusal on the
grounds that the proposed means of vehicular access is not included
within the application site, and the approach roads leading to the
site are inadequate to accommodate the additional lorry traffic
which the proposed development would generate.
1
8. The National Rivers Authority (Southern Region), the County
Surveyor (Waste Disposal), County Recreation Officer, Test Valley
Borough Council's Environmental Health Officer and Southern Water
raise no objection subject to conditions.
9. I have received no representations from members of the
public.
Policies
10. The following policies are relevant to the consideration of
the application:
Mid Hampshire Structure Plan: First Alteration
"Policy E3: Development which adversely affects the
scenic quality of the landscape will not
normally be permitted."
"Policy E4: Habitats of value to nature conservation
will be safeguarded."
"Policy U5: Efficient and environmentally acceptable
means of waste disposal ... will be
promoted."
Hampshire Waste Management Plan
"Policy 12: The County Council will seek to ensure
through the planning permission ....
procedures that waste disposal developments
do not give rise to unacceptable
environmental impact."
District Council's Views
11. Test Valley Borough Council raises no objection providing the
tipped materials are restricted to inert earth spoils and brick and
concrete rubble, that the filled level is not raised above the
adjacent land, that a scheme is prepared and implemented for the
site's subsequent restoration and landscaping, and that the hours of
tipping are restricted.
County Planning Officer's Comments
12. I consider the tipping of this site to be unacceptable for
the following reasons:
(i) the County Surveyor (Highways) advises that the road
network in the vicinity of the site is unsuitable to
accommodate the lorry traffic likely to be generated
by the proposed development;
(ii) the proposal would result in the loss of a site
characteristic of ancient woodland recognised to be
an important feature for nature conservation
purposes; and
2
(iii) the proposal would, despite the applicant's
intentions, threaten the loss of a considerable
number of mature trees on the edges of the pit which
make an important landscape contribution to the area.
13. Furthermore, the application fails to provide basic
information considered necessary to ensure that the tipping
operation could be carried out in an environmentally acceptable
manner and the site restored to a satisfactory standard.
RECOMMENDATION
14. I recommend that planning permission in respect of
Application No. TVN 5790 be refused for the following reasons:
(i) The highway network in the locality of the site is
unsuitable to accommodate the type of traffic likely
to be generated.
(ii) The proposal would destroy a site with
characteristics of ancient woodland with a rich
ground flora recognised to be of importance for
nature conservation and is, therefore, contrary to
Policy E4 of the Mid Hampshire Structure Plan: First
Alteration.
(iii) The proposal would result in the loss of a
considerable number of mature trees around the
perimeter of the pit which make an important
contribution to the local landscape and is,
therefore, contrary to Policy E3 of the Mid Hampshire
Structure Plan: First Alteration.
(iv) The application is deficient in information
considered necessary to ensure that the proposed
development could be carried out in an
environmentally acceptable manner and the site is
restored to a satisfactory standard.
(v) By virtue of the highway, landscape and nature
conservation objection, the application cannot be
considered an "environmentally acceptable means of
waste disposal" and is, therefore, contrary to Policy
U5 of the Mid Hampshire Structure Plan: First
Alteration and Policy 12 of the Hampshire Waste
Management Plan.
0233/MWD
3
Top of this page
Hantsweb Homepage