A27 gridlock fears dominate meeting over major 2,000-home development near Havant

A public consultation meeting about the Southleigh Strategic site was held at Havant Borough Council on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by more than 150 residents, and councillors heard the initial proposals from housebuilder Bloor Homes, which has dropped plans to provide a link road in its Southleigh Strategic Site masterplan.

Bloor Homes laid out its proposal, which includes 1,800 homes, a local centre, a three-form entry primary school, early years provision, community park, community open space, and infrastructure promoting active travel with cycle and pedestrian paths, along with a proposed bus service.

The aim of the meeting was to identify all the issues that need to be considered for an outline planning application to be submitted in a few months.

Leader of the council Councillor Phil Munday (Lab, Havant, St Faith’s) said: “During consultation on the Local Plan, across the whole borough, 30 per cent of residents expressed concerns over the impact of the Southleigh site.

“Most are concerned about infrastructure and particularly the impact of increased traffic on the current road system.

“Most residents I speak to and indeed most residents in this room believe the only option to manage the traffic is to build a link road onto the A27 as was originally suggested when this site was first proposed in 2016.”

The site sits between Denvilles and Emsworth, north of the A27 and railway line, and south of Southleigh House, the Spire Hospital, and the Oaks Havant Crematorium.

Southleigh Road passes through the site from west to east.

Elizabeth Emms, representing residents in Denvilles said: “There is no employment provision on the site, people will commute out of the area for work.”

She added: “It is a very congested area. The Warblington level crossing has 12 trains per hour that run through it, stopping traffic.”

Mr Bateman from Emsworth Residents Forum said: “Emsworth is a commuter settlement and it’s naive to think otherwise.”

Bob Comlay from The Havant Civic Society said: “Local roads are at capacity.

“The A27 is a narrow residential corridor at capacity with four routes around the Southleigh site.”

He said the developers needed to understand the current and future impact on the roads of the distribution business of the Amazon depot based nearby in Havant.

It is a growing 24/7 delivery business that is not measured or managed by the council, which affects the roads around the Southleigh site.

Councillor Richard Brown (Lab, Leigh Park Hermitage) said that as a number 27 bus driver for 10 years, the only way to help the residents of Warblington and Denvilles is to have a link road across the motorway which was promised.

Councillor Sharon Collings (Reform, Leigh Park Central and West Leigh) said the site is surrounded by roads that become gridlocked, such as Hayling Island when there is a little bit of sunshine.

Rebecca Fenn-Tripp from Bloor Homes said government policy has shifted since the site was first proposed.

She said: “Whether you agree with it or not, this is the position.

“The government is not looking to invest or increase capacity at major road junctions.

“What they are looking to do is bolster alternative modes of travel – public transport walking, and cycling.

“What we can do is not to prejudice future connections.”

Transport consultant, Max Law, said: “The key aim is to reduce the traffic generated in the first place.”

A series of safe pedestrian/cycle routes, separate from the streets are being designed so that residents can travel through the development without using a car.

For others, a new bus service will run through the site and include linking Emsworth to Havant town centre, he said.

Chair Councillor Netty Shepherd (Green, Hayling East) said: “There has been a robust debate with residents holding the developers to account.

“The main issue is the wider infrastructure.”