Barton Farm Development - TrustNews March 10
Despite snow and ice in January the Trust held a midday presentation by the CALA Homes representative and their architect. We especially wanted to have the additional information they could provide before we made our comments to the planners on the new outline planning application to build 2000 houses on the green fields of Barton Farm. This was much appreciated by the 20 members at the Heritage Centre, and the Trust is immensely grateful to the presenters and our members who, despite the awful travelling conditions, all gave up a large part of their day to attend. It enabled us to understand the thought processes leading to the present scheme, which includes closing the Andover Road and routing its traffic through the new development. The presenters left us shortly before 3pm after which we embarked upon a lengthy discussion of the scheme.
The general consensus was that this was a great improvement on the previous proposal, but that more evidence was needed to support the diversion of traffic from Andover Rd. Against our concern that the innovative traffic calming proposed on the new route might not prove effective, we learnt that HCC were considering using the proposal as a research project. We felt able to support this with the proviso that any alterations made to the present Andover Road would not prevent its reinstatement as the primary route should the proposal prove unsatisfactory.
We felt that further thought was needed as to who would actually use the Park & Ride site: 200 spaces seems too small to cope with not only Peter Symonds students whose cars currently trouble local residents, but also commuters wanting to work in the city or travel elsewhere by train, as well as visitors to the city centre. It was felt important that bus services should be established very early during the construction of the development to avoid the risk of first residents becoming too reliant on using their cars. With this in mind, we also felt that the pedestrian and cycle connectivity with the city centre was inadequate, and that improved conditions for this along Andover Road were needed.
The land on the east side of the railway line seems vulnerable to future development and we would like its designation as part of the green infrastructure to be made a condition of any permission. We further suggest that part of the southern end of the area could be used to meet the current demand for more space on the Park Road allotments.
The completion of a development of this size is likely to take at least 10 years from the time that permission is given, and we regard it as essential that some way is found to put in place a master plan that sets out the original concept and high standard of design, and so ensures that the integrity of the scheme is retained, whether or not a phase of the development were ever sold on to another developer. The Trust agrees with WinACC that each phase should aim at the highest levels of sustainability that are current at the time of construction.
Despite our recognition that this is better than the previous proposal and that it is a designated local reserve site fit for development, the Trust continues to believe that permitting this large development at this time would damage the character of Winchester. Other proposed developments in the city’s centre and its suburbs that are still to be built would provide about half of the housing currently demanded by central government. Proof is therefore needed that this scale of additional housing is required and that the local infrastructure can accommodate the demands of these extra 2000 dwellings. If this and the other highdensity developments were built, would the already stretched resources of our present infrastructure be able to cope with the extra demands brought about by their residents?
The Trust therefore objected to the scheme as being premature and detrimental to the character of Winchester.