Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item 10

8 April 2004

County Council Owned Site at Peak Copse, Near Basingstoke -

Future Use Strategy

Joint Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

and Director of the Environment

1

Summary

1.1

The following decision is sought:

That approval be given for the County Council to progress further investigations into all aspects associated with achieving redevelopment of the former Gypsy Site for NRI related activity and recreational/community uses whilst enhancing the environmental quality of the County Council's adjoining landholding at Peak Copse.

2

Reason(s)

2.1

To enable beneficial use to be made of the vacant former Gypsy Site.

2.2

This decision supports the following Aims of the Corporate Strategy:

Aim 2 - Stewardship of the environment by enabling the identification of opportunities for the redevelopment of a brownfield site in furtherance of the County Council`s Natural Resource Inititiatives and waste management policies and facilitating environmental and recreational enhancements to adjoining woodland area.

Aim 4 - Building Strong and Safe Communities by investigating the potential for securing recreational/community uses within the redevelopment of the County Council's land.

Aim 5 - Improving services by enabling the re-use of property assets for economic and service-related purposes.

3

Other options considered and rejected

3.1

Abandoning options for the redevelopment of any part of the former Gypsy Site for NRI-related activity was rejected on the basis that this would not represent the best use of this brownfield site and would deny opportunities to meet the County Council's recycling and sustainability targets.

3.2

Developing a much greater part of the land in the Council's ownership was rejected on the grounds that the environmental impact would be too severe.

4

Conflicts of interest declared by the decision-maker or other Executive Member

4.1

None

5

Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee

5.1

None

6

Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent

6.1

Not applicable

Approved by:

..........................

Date of decision:

.........................

Councillor T K Thornber

Hampshire County Council

Executive Member, Policy & Resources Item

8 April 2004

County Council Owned Site at Peak Copse, Near Basingstoke -

Future Use Strategy

Report by the Director of Property, Business and Regulatory Services

1

Introduction

1.1

This report sets out the results of the preliminary investigations into the use of the County Council`s Peak Copse site as part of its Natural Resource Initiative and seeks approval to carry out further consultations and appraisals to progress the project.

2

Background

2.1

On 6 November, 2002, authority was given for officers to undertake initial feasibility studies relating to the potential for redeveloping the former Peak Copse Gypsy Site as a Resource Park linked to Hampshire's Natural Resource Initiative (NRI).

2.2

Given the location of the site within Peak Copse accessed direct from the A30, it has been necessary to carry out preliminary Environmental and Transportation Studies which have now been concluded. These studies have clarified the opportunities and constraints affecting the redevelopment of the site and identified how risks can be managed to an acceptable level in meeting key County Council aims for NRI uses involving activities such as materials recycling.

2.3

Furthermore, opportunities might also arise by which limited recreational/community uses might be introduced within the overall scheme, but these will need extensive investigation to ensure the compatibility of any mix of uses.

3

Site Features and Planning Context

3.1

The County Council's ownership at Peak Copse extends to approximately 14.7 hectares, fronts onto the A30 and adjoins the Basingstoke Golf Club to the north, the M3 Motorway to the south-east, and the Highways Agency's motorway maintenance compound to the south-west as shown on the attached plan.

3.2

The former gypsy site comprises a developed `enclave' of approximately 3.0 hectares. The enclave includes access/circulation roads, hardstandings and buildings (covering approximately 1.1 hectares) and associated landscape buffer zone. The remaining 11.7 hectares of land is mature woodland. The Wayfarers Walk (long distance footpath) passes along the north-eastern boundary of the site.

3.3

From a planning perspective, the site is beyond the Settlement Boundary identified in the adopted and emerging Basingstoke and Deane Borough Local Plan and Review. Whilst this is a brownfield site, any proposal to develop the land, including schemes associated with NRI activity, will need to be progressed against this restrictive policy background.

4

Preliminary Studies

4.1

To identify whether there were likely to be any significant constraints against bringing forward NRI development on this site, a range of preliminary studies was commissioned to consider the impact that any development might have on the very specific aspects of landscape, ecology, transportation and infrastructure provision.

4.2

For the purposes of carrying out these studies, assumptions were made as to two contrasting scales of development that might be achievable on the site. The first option considered developing the site to approximately double the existing area with mainly hard development within the woodland setting, thus providing the opportunity for a range of NRI activities suited to a Resource Park setting. The second option was to restrict new-build to the existing `developed' envelope to provide up to 3.0 hectares of development and associated landscaping. The remaining 11.7 hectares of woodland would be retained and enhanced. It should be noted that the second option is considered to provide the minimum area required to establish a viable, albeit smaller, scheme.

4.3

The Transportation and Infrastructure studies confirm that there is no major constraint to meeting the demands generated by either development option, other than those that would be met by providing affordable technical solutions.

4.4

Whilst there would be clear economic advantage in seeking to develop a larger area of the County Council`s land, the studies identify, however, that development at the larger scale would give rise to potential conflicts in landscape and ecological impact terms. The issues identified relate to some parts of an enlarged development being visually prominent and introducing a greater level of urbanisation into this countryside location. It would also cause a loss of woodland and amenity open space and have an impact on the ancient semi-natural woodland and protected habitat. On balance, it is considered that these issues are sufficient to outweigh the potential advantages of an enlarged NRI development at the site.

4.5

However, it should in principle be possible to reduce the above impacts by restricting any NRI development of the smaller, core area of 3 hectares centred on the former gypsy site. This would have much less environmental impact and there is scope for implementing appropriate mitigation measures.

4.6

Wider benefits would also be achievable by pursuing NRI developments on the site to help meet Hampshire's recycling and sustainability targets. It is anticipated that these aims and the broader planning objectives could be further enhanced by focusing on NRI uses that would support the rural economy. The introduction of alternative uses would also provide a financial base from which potential recreational/community uses might be provided within the project, important enhancements to the ancient woodland could be funded and a long-term woodland management scheme put into effect. Associated with any disposal for commercial NRI operations would be the possibility of a limited capital receipt being generated.

5

Next Steps

5.1

The concept of developing Resource Parks in support of NRI and other waste management objectives is a relatively new initiative, but is one that offers considerable potential linked to the County Council's emerging Materials Resource Strategy (MRS).

5.2

Whilst there is an optimism that the smaller scale redevelopment of the Peak Copse site is realisable and would contribute to meeting several of the County Council's policy objectives, this can only be confirmed by conducting further site investigations. Given the importance attached to achieving sustainable waste reduction targets, SEEDA has shown considerable interest in the County Council's proposals and has provided funding to assist with project management and further studies over the next 12 months.

5.3

In carrying out the second stage environmental studies, a detailed archaeological appraisal and further transportation assessments, a Development Framework could be prepared to define the Council's sustainability objectives achievable out of this project. The Development Framework would then underpin any future planning applications that might be submitted.

5.4

The financial viability of such a project will rely on establishing an effective partnership between the Council and private sector investors. The market will be consulted as to its needs in terms of the scale and mix of complementary uses on the site and the County Council will need to consider how best those aspirations fit its emerging MRS strategies.

5.5

Throughout the next stages of scheme preparation, it will be vital to maintain consultations with the Local Member, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Dummer and Kempshott Parish Councils, and local residents and landowners would also be consulted. Similar work recently undertaken in preparation for the County Council's Bar End redevelopments in Winchester will provide a blueprint within which the Project Group will be able to progress this work.

6

Consultation with Local Member(s)

6.1

The Local Member, Councillor Mrs Anna McNair Scott has been consulted and is supportive of the proposals.

7

Conclusions

7.1

The results of the initial investigations into the potential for achieving NRI developments on the County Council's land at Peak Copse have confirmed the development potential of the site involving the siting of the built elements of the scheme within the 3.0 hectare area within the Copse which was occupied by the former Gypsy Site.

6.2

Allied to any such commercial development, opportunities can also be investigated regarding the potential for introducing limited recreational/community uses into any preferred scheme.

Recommendation

That approval be given for the County Council to progress further investigations into all aspects associated with achieving redevelopment of the former Gypsy Site for Natural Resource Initiatives related activity and recreational/community uses whilst enhancing the environmental quality of the County Council`s adjoining landholding at Peak Copse.