Hayling Island residents dismayed as Rook Farm Appeal allowed by inspector with 300 new homes now set to be built
Residents association declares it a ‘sad day’ for Hayling Island
Residents of Hayling Island have been left reeling after news broke that the planning inquiry to determine if up to 300 homes could be built on Rook Farm has gone in favour of the developers.
Hayling Island Resident’s Association (HIRA) put forward its case at the four day inquiry after Havant Borough Council chose not to oppose the plans. The HIRA labelled the plans ‘inappropriate and unsound’ citing an increased risk of flooding, traffic, and damage to the environment with the farm currently utilised by Brent Geese.
However, after reviewing the evidence submitted by both sides, including by Gladman Developments Ltd, the concerns presented by HIRA were dismissed by the inspector P Hanna with his decision published on Friday, August 14.
In his decision, the inspector said he had “considerable sympathy” for the residents that shared their stories of the flooding that they had endured at their properties. However, in response to concerns raised that the new development would increase the chances of flooding on the island he said the events only occur for “short durations of time”, be subject to flood warnings to enable people to prepare, and that flooding was already an issue with the population not increasing “substantially” with the additional 300 homes.
Hayling Island was also described as having a “high degree of self-sufficiency” with GP surgeries, pharmacies, first responders, fires station, and a cardiac response station on the island if it was cut off.
It was also key that neither the Environment Agency nor Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service were opposed to the plans with the inspector concluding that the “adverse effect of the risk of flooding is, at most, limited”.
With the Langstone Bridge the sole route off and onto Hayling Island, the increased traffic on a road already affected by congestion was another key argument by HIRA against the plans. While recognising the “considerable inconvenience” that the disruptions have, it was found that the new homes would not “result in severe residual cumulative impacts on the road network”.
The inspector gave “considerable weight” to the responses of the local highway authority and National Highways, neither of whom raised objections to the plans.
Lastly, the ecological impact of the site was addressed after HIRA raised concerns about the suitability of alternative sites for Brent Geese which have been seen at Rook Farm since 2013 and is a core area under the Solent Wader and Brent Goose Strategy (SWBGS). It was acknowledged that the new development would lead to the “complete loss of this important wintering site”.
The loss of the site has been mitigated in the plans by the proposal of a permanent wintering bird refuge site on land west of West Lane. While this land is currently used for farming practices, the land would need to be “specifically directed towards conservation purposes, overseen by an appropriate conservation body and secured in perpetuity”.
Despite concerns raised by the HIRA over the suitability of the new site for the birds, the inspector found that the area was suitable under SWBGS’s own criteria and is also currently listed as a core area.
In concluding the overall decision to allow the planning to be approved, the inspector stated it had more positives than negatives.
He said: “The proposal has a number of benefits. The provision of up to 300 houses including up to 90 affordable homes would make a considerable contribution to housing delivery in light of the acute shortfall of supply, notwithstanding steps being taken by the Council to address this. I give this substantial weight.”
In response to the decision, Hayling Island Residents Association posted on social media: “This is indeed a sad day and bad outcome for Hayling Island and all those who love our island. Yes HIRA Rule 6 brought to the fore Hayling's major issues that are exacerbated by poor planning decisions such as this one.
“Thank you once again if you supported us; the powers that be cannot claim we didn't warn them.”
With the plans now approved the developers have three years to begin the work.
The full decision can be found at https://www.havant.gov.uk/rook-farm-planning-appeal-public-inquiry.