Council wins fight to clear 'unsightly' illegal storage yard near A27 to unlock land for new houses
A council has won its case to clear an illegal storage yard on a busy road, unlocking land for new homes near Fareham.
A government inspector found the development on land west of 237 Segensworth Road near the A27 was in breach of planning permission.
Planning Inspector Andrew Walker upheld Fareham Borough Council’s enforcement order to clear the unauthorised storage site, paving the way for new homes on land earmarked for 36 houses in the council’s Local Plan.
The enforcement notice stopped the mixed use of the site and ordered the removal of all storage including: shipping containers, portable buildings, mobile homes, touring caravans, and other vehicles within two months.
The Inspector ruled the site did not have permission for storage. The original use of grazing horses and Christmas tree sales in December at the site will be allowed to continue.
The Appeal Decision said: “The actual use of the land is for the keeping and grazing of horses for personal use.”
After a hearing on October 28, the Inspector decided that previous planning permission obtained by the appellant, James Matthew, of Bartley Balmoral Limited, did not permit storage on the land. No planning permission would be granted, and the storage and repair of vehicles in the barn was also not lawful.
Mr Walker said the site was causing harm to the character of the local area, including businesses and car parks across Southampton Road and Segensworth Road.
He said: “The double-stacked shipping containers are strikingly prominent and unsightly in external views. These factors combine with the industrial character of the containers to cause harmful incongruity against the nearby adjacent residential housing development and care home.”
The Inspector also ordered a caravan and container, providing temporary accommodation for security at the site to be removed. He said: “A single caravan could be stationed on the land as a rest room for stable workers, and for horse-related storage to occur.”
Chairman of the Fareham Borough Council planning committee, Councillor David Foot (Con, Sarisbury and Whiteley) said: “The council were very pleased that the Planning Inspector fully upheld its decision to take action against this unauthorised development.
“The Inspector acknowledged that the unauthorised development caused significant harm to the character and appearance of the area. The council would welcome a planning application for residential dwellings at this site in accordance with the council’s adopted Local Plan.”