"Essential A27 link road is needed" to make sure a new 2,100-home development is "a success"
A plea has been made for key link road to the A27 to be built before a new 2,000-home community is created between Emsworth and Denvilles.
Havant Borough Council is looking for political support to draw attention to the infrastructure needs arising from the planned Southleigh development on land already earmarked for around 2,100 homes in the council’s local plan - which acts as a development blueprint for the area.
It has been sparked by fears that the developer has dropped its plans for the link road after failing to include it in its most recent vision for the site.
As previously reported by The News, the Southleigh site proposal in the local plan includes the provision for houses, shops, a primary school and a vital new link road to the A27 which would help the borough to meet its housing targets and needs.
Last year, Bloor Homes outlined its latest vision for the site which includes:
- Around 2,100 homes - including 840 ‘affordable’ homes
- New primary school with early years/nursery provision
- GP Surgery and pharmacy
- Shops and businesses in a new local centre
- Transport links
However the required link road previously mentioned as part of the local plan and by the developer is not proposed, sparking fears it will not be included in the planning application when it is submitted to the council for approval.
Leader of Havant Borough Council Councillor Phil Munday has written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government asking for his support in providing the infrastructure that will help new developments such as Southleigh to successfully integrate into existing communities.
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.
The letter was drafted in consultation with Councillor Lulu Bowerman, the executive member for highways and passenger transport at Hampshire County Council which oversees highway issues.
However, under a shake-up of the council system the two-tier structure will be replaced, with unitary councils responsible for all local government services and a new mayoral system for the region also in place.
It said: “As leader of HBC, and as HCC’s Executive Member for Highways and Passenger Transport, we want to ensure that appropriate upgrades to the road network are properly considered and implemented through the planning process. Developments such as Southleigh can only be successfully absorbed by the existing community if the transport infrastructure – including roads – is improved accordingly.
“We would like your assurance that when a mayor is elected to our region in 2028, s/he will be obligated to fully and fairly listen to community concerns, to carry out comprehensive, transparent, data-driven assessments of infrastructure requirements.
“Ultimately, we are looking to ensure that when preparing the Spatial Development Strategy, s/he will need to ensure that all local housing development is supported by the roads, public transport links and other infrastructure needed by the additional population.”
A letter has also been written to Havant MP Alan Mak to acknowledge his efforts to draw local attention to infrastructure requirements and to ask for additional support that his political position can help secure. This includes not only writing to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, but also bodies like National Highways to argue for and influence their allocation of funds through their Road Investment Strategy.
Councillor Phil Munday stated “As leader, I am eager that supporting infrastructure is commensurate to development. This is not something that Havant Borough Council can secure through silo working at the local level; it requires a cross-party, consistent and methodical approach to highlighting infrastructure issues and securing funding at a national level to ensure local need is met.
“I welcome the recent support from Councillor Bowerman in highlighting concerns to the Secretary of State, and hope that this will continue with the support of our local MP.”
The letter to Alan Mak MP also includes an open invitation to attend the forthcoming Development Consultation Event being held on the proposed Southleigh site, taking place at Emsworth Baptist Church between 5pm and 8pm on Tuesday, January 27.
Alan Mak said that despite tough government housing targets, any plans for the site should not go ahead unless they met the requirements needed to integrate it into the community.
Mr Mak said: "Unlike Labour councillors I don’t pre-suppose that the Southleigh housing plan will or should go ahead. A planning application needs to be properly considered by the council, and it’s already clear that any sizeable development at Southleigh, if approved by the council, is not viable without a wide range of supporting infrastructure, including but not limited to a link road to the A27.”
"The developer previously included a possible link road in an earlier proposal and, given the pressures on the local road network in and around Havant and Emsworth, it seems essential to me that an A27 link road is one of the bare minimum conditions for any application which comes forward now."
To find out more about the Development Consultation Event visit www.havant.gov.uk/dcf which are includes details for attending or viewing the event on January 27.