Contact: Zoe Collings, ext 7794

1. Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

(i) That approval be given for the Chief Executive to conclude an appropriate legal Agreement with Barratt Southampton in relation to the making of a financial contribution of £319,000 of which £240,000 will be towards improvements to the bus service that will serve the site, and £79,000 towards the provision of road and pedestrian safety improvements in the vicinity of Berrywood School, and for improvements to the Locke Road/Maunsell Way junction as part of the Hedge End Transport Strategy.

(ii) That, subject to the completion of this Agreement, Eastleigh Borough Council be informed that there is no objection to the residential development on land north of Botleigh Grange Hotel, Grange Road, Hedge End.

2. Reason

2.1 To secure an appropriate level of financial contribution towards the off site transport package.

3. Other Options Considered and Rejected

3.1 The County Council could opt not to enter into a legal Agreement. This option has been rejected as it would deny the Council the benefits of the off site transport contribution. A higher or lower level of transport contribution could have been considered, however the terms outlined in the report have been negotiated and agreed as appropriate by both parties.

4. Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Decision Maker or a Member or Officer consulted - None.

5. Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee - Not applicable.

6. Reason(s) for the Matter being dealt with if Urgent - Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

Councillor K B Estlin

7. Introduction

7.1 A planning application has been submitted by Barratt Southampton to Eastleigh Borough Council for a residential development on land north of Botleigh Grange Hotel, Grange Road, Hedge End.

7.2 The site totals 4.99 hectares and is situated to the north of Grange Drive and Pavilion Road, and to the east of Missenden Acres. The site abuts Berrywood Primary School and is accessed from Locke Road (see attached location plan).

7.3 The application is for the erection of 149 residential units, public open space, footways, cycleways, car parking and new roads with vehicular access from Locke Road. The site is the northern part of a larger development for which planning permission for a total of 23,225 square metres of office floorspace already exists. An area of 6,325 square metres has already been constructed and 8,200 square metres are being constructed on land to the south of Botleigh Grange Hotel. The remaining unbuilt 8,700 square metres, as shown on the location plan north of the hotel, is proposed to be replaced by this residential development.

7.4 The Borough Council supports the development of this site for residential purposes and has resolved to grant approval, subject to the conclusion of appropriate legal Agreements.

7.5 The local Member, Councillor Brown, raises no objections in principle to the proposals.

8. Transport Proposals

8.1 The existing office campus and hotel are accessed from Grange Drive. However, vehicular access to the proposed residential development will be provided from Locke Road which is situated to the north-west of the site. There will be no vehicular link between the two sites. Locke Road serves as a local distributor road between Grange Road and Maunsell Way, which then provides a continuation of the distributor road network.

8.2 The development will provide pedestrian and cycle links to the adjoining network serving the school and other local facilities.

8.3 The proposed car parking provision for the site is approximately 226 spaces, which equates to 1.5 spaces per dwelling. This is in accordance with Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 3 and the Hampshire Parking Standards and Strategy 2002.

8.4 The developer has produced a Transport Assessment which has received County Council approval. This shows that the traffic impact of the proposed residential development is broadly similar in terms of vehicle trips to the office floorspace which already has planning permission and which it is replacing. Despite this, the developer has agreed to make a financial contribution towards improvements to the transport infrastructure and the sustainability of the site.

8.5 The public transport contribution of £240,000 will cover the costs of providing an additional bus on the Solent Blue Line route 27 for a period of three years. It will run roughly according to the existing timetable with an additional loop into and out of the development - hence the need for an extra bus to cover existing timetable commitments with additional running time.

8.6 The service will be subject to an annual review and monitoring of patronage. There may then be opportunities to reduce the yearly level of subsidy over time as the service becomes commercially viable. In this case the contribution could be used to extend the period of subsidy.

8.7 At the end of the subsidy period it is anticipated that levels of patronage will be such that this will become an unsubsidised commercially viable service. The route will be operated by Solent Blue Line and it is not intended that there will be a further need for County Council funding.

8.8 The site is located immediately adjacent to an existing primary school and the contribution of £79,000 will be used as part of the Hedge End Transport Strategy to improve road safety and pedestrian facilities in Maunsell Way and Locke Road, specifically in the vicinity of the school. This will hopefully encourage the school to consider a Travel Plan to enable parents and staff to make use of alternative travel facilities.

8.9 The contribution will be spent in accordance with the requirements of PPG3, PPG13 and County Council policies which seek to reduce the dependency on the private car and encourage the use of alternative modes of transport.

9 Financial Implications

9.1 In the event of planning permission being granted the developer has agreed to make a financial contribution of £319,000 towards the off site transport package.

7530/ZC