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Fareham Borough Council has been advised that Persimmon Homes have been successful in their appeal to build new homes on land at Cranleigh Road, Portchester. This follows a Public Inquiry held by a Planning Inspector at the Civic Offices between the 25-28th April 2017.
The Planning Inspector did not consider the Council had currently identified sufficient land across the Borough to provide housing needed over the next five years. Whilst the Planning Inspector acknowledged that high quality agricultural land would be lost, and that development of this piece of countryside would harm its character and appearance, he concluded that any harm was outweighed by the need to make land available for housing within the Borough.
This means outline planning permission has been granted for a residential development of up to 120 dwellings accessed from Cranleigh Road, along with public open space, including a play area, pedestrian walk ways, surface water drainage and landscaping. The Council will be seeking legal advice on the soundness of the appeal decision.
Executive Leader of Fareham Borough Council, Cllr Seán Woodward, said: "I am extremely disappointed with the outcome of this Appeal as the Planning Inspector has failed to acknowledge the Council's clear commitment to housing delivery over the long term in its current planning strategy.
"Welborne is now set to be rapidly moved forward by Buckland Development Limited (BDL) which has submitted a planning application and is progressing both planning, infrastructure and site assembly work. This follows years of delays caused by legal disputes over the control of the 380 acre Dean Farm estate owned by the Benge family which, following the Council implementing a development strategy with a possible compulsory purchase order, have now been resolved following the acquisition of the land by BDL which now controls over 90% of Welborne.
"The timing of the decision is most unfortunate as the Council had already acknowledged the need to identify further housing sites in a new Local Plan over a longer timescale. The Council has been working over the last two years to create the new plan with an end date of 2036 rather than 2026. This extended timescale of course requires additional housing sites, especially ones which will provide for early delivery due to the Welborne delays. Work has included a 'call for sites' from landowners and we will be consulting the public about the proposed new plan in the Autumn. Obviously the provision of 6,000 homes at Welborne, albeit over a longer timeframe, continues to mean that we do not need additional sites in the Borough for those 6,000 homes."
The application to build homes at Cranleigh Road was initially refused by Fareham Borough Council in March 2016. The Council received around 500 objections to the development from local residents and societies.
Further details relating to the Inspector's decision can be found on the Council's website.
ENDS
For further information contact:
The Communications Team, Tel: 01329 824310
e-mail: publicity@fareham.gov.uk
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