"Unsatisfactory and a very real concern for local residents" Rook Farm Hayling Island Planning Inquiry finishes with closing statements heard
Planning Inquiry wraps up as closing statements heard
A planning inquiry to decide the future of plans to build 300 homes in Hayling Island has come to a close with both parties outlaying their cases.
The Hayling Island Resident’s Association (HIRA) opposed the planning appeal citing traffic and environmental concerns with the new homes proposed for Rook Farm off St Mary’s Road. When Havant Borough Council stating they would not oppose the plans, it was left to the residents to hire solicitors to help take up their case at the inquiry.
The four day inquiry finished on Tuesday, June 30 with both parties delivering their closing statements at a virtual meeting.
Barrister Jessica Allen of Leigh Day, who is representing the Hayling Island Residents association said: “The appeal site outside the defined urban area of Hayling Island on land that is functionally connected to the nearby Solent SPAs. It currently performs a critical inland role in supporting the international protected dark bellied brent geese, the habitat for which is concentrated around Hayling Island and under great pressure from climate change, sea level rises and coastal squeeze.
“Hayling Island is an area with an established history of heavy traffic and congestion, particularly in the summer months, as well as coastal erosion and incidents of tidal flooding.
“Local residents have significant concerns relating to the impact of the appeal proposals on the local road network and the ability of future residents to access hospital care and other facilities when the low sea defences at the Northney Road A3023 junction are overtopped and the Langstone Bridge is obstructed by flooding on its southern approaches.”
A previous application for 210 homes for the same site was submitted in December 2016 and refused in April 2017.
Ms Allen said: “The appellant has spent 10 years trying to make the appeal site work for development. The reality is that the sites very real constraints relating to highways, flooding and habitat, never mind landscape and heritage has made it difficult to even get to this stage.
“This appeal proposal might be an improvement in terms of further information being provided but they remain unsatisfactory and a very real concern for local residents.”
Ms Allen referenced the lived experience of Hayling Island residents and cited the accounts provided on the opening day of the inquiry. Many issues were raised by residents including how flooding or accidents on or near the bridge can shut off the island with a number of facilities only available off the island - including hospital care as well as larger supermarkets.
Ms Allen said: “The commitment of local residents to take up this appeal following the council’s changing position should not be taken lightly. It is born out of the lived experience and the very real challenges that they face in relation to highways and flooding.”
Melissa Murphy KC on behalf of Gladman Developments Ltd said: “The appellant seeks outline permission for up to 300 homes of 30 per cent would be affordable.
“The application was subject to environmental impact assessment in accordance with the 2017 regulations and the environmental statement was produced and then updated. A package comprising measures within the unilateral undertaking together with a suite of conditions is proposed in order to control and carefully mitigate development impact.”
Those mitigations includes a financial contribution to the council for the significant impact of additional trips on the A3023. Another mitigation is a new site for the brent geese which Natural England stated that “subject to the imposition of a Grampian style condition securing the necessary condition” there were no further objections.
Ms Murphy KC also pointed to the lack of objection from a number of relevant stakeholders and governing bodies, including Havant Borough Council who said on the opening day of the inquiry that they would not have refused the application subject to appropriate conditions.
When addressing the issue of flooding at Langstone Bridge, Ms Murphy stated that using the “best available data” it was a very “low risk”. While also pointing out that the Environment Agency had not objected to the plans and neither did Hampshire Fire & Rescue. The appellant acknowledged that the A3023 was a “sensitive” stretch of road.
As at the opening of the inquiry, Ms Murphy questioned the status HIRA’s expert Professor Jonathan Raper when addressing the issues of transport believing that he did not provide “objective” evidence as a vested party as a island resident. An issue addressed and refuted by Ms Allen in the HIRA’s closing statement.
Ms Allen also raised the issue of amenities on Hayling Island citing personal accounts from the public that many are forced to drive off the island. However, Ms Murphy pointed to a number of amenities in walking distance while it was also possible to leave the island by bike and via bus with further connections available at Havant Railway Station.
When addressing the concerns raised by the proposed alternative refuge for brent geese Ms Murphy stated it had already been determined by Havant Borough Council’s own biodiversity strategy that the large “arable fields routinely support large numbers of SPA birds and by reason of their adjacent coastal locations are ideally suited to being a permanent refuge”.
One of the other points raised in the appellants closing statement was the need for affordable housing in the area, especially with a local shortfall. The development of new homes fits with the national framework.
While acknowledging the benefit of new affordable housing in the area Ms Allen stated HIRA’s position was that the balance lies in favour of refusing the appeal.
Following the inquiry it is now down to the planning inspectorate to assess the evidence presented and make a decision on the proposals.