The petition reached 5,000 signatures in January! Many, many thanks to everyone for your amazing response to our Petition Update back then. This represents about 25% of the people of Alton. Simply staggering. Apologies for this belated update.
Our Campaign Group continues to meet and keep updated on policy developments that might help our campaign, and we keep up a regular correspondence with EHDC.
Thank you for being there and caring about the potential devastation and desecration of the wonderfully secluded tract of beautiful farmland that is Chawton Park Farm. Its seclusion is what makes it vulnerable.
Presenting Our Petition to EHDC
The size of the petition and its publicity in the Alton Herald, prompted a letter from the Leader, East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) asking if we would agree to have it debated at a Council meeting. We didn’t feel this would serve the interests of our petitioners.
We do want to present it at a Council meeting however. EHDC have said they would prefer it to be submitted at ‘the formal consultation stages of the Local Plan’.
It must form part of the evidence base for the Local Plan prior to the consultation and we will continue to press in whatever ways are open to us to achieve this goal.
Development Sites Consultation now Jan 2024 (East Hampshire District Council Local Plan) Regulation 18 Part 2.
This was to be in September 2023. We strongly encourage everyone to submit comments when it comes out. We’ll be in touch nearer the time of course.
The Leader, EHDC says “no decisions have been made on sites and I encourage you to actively respond to the next consultation on the Draft Local Plan.”
EHDC Local Plan Timetable: submission for examination in December 2024; adoption in September 2025. Meanwhile we don’t have a 5 year land supply (5yls) which leaves us vulnerable to speculative planning applications from developers – which if refused could be passed on appeal.
Planning Changes – New Law
Despite Michael Gove MP’s trailed changes to the planning system in early December last year – and despite the government consultation since then, nothing has changed (yet), and his statements will likely be watered down, plus the new laws won’t be passed until Autumn 2024.
Will EHDC devise an Alternative Approach to calculating Housing Numbers?
Our Campaign Group pointed out to EHDC that the housing projection numbers from the HEDNA (Housing and Economic Development Needs) Standard Method calculation, are fatally flawed as they rely on artificial projections based on the number of houses given planning permission in the years 2011-2020 i.e. they are a function of planning permissions not housing need.
EHDC replied that they are continuing to work on alternative ways to assess local housing need with particular emphasis on our December 2022 letter on a ‘fair share’ split between SDNP and EHDC.
They say they’ve “explored disaggregating the standard method outputs by population and housing stock. We have not yet concluded on a preferred approach”
and
“The preferred approach …. has not yet been determined and will be consulted on as part of the Regulation 18 (Part 2) consultation”.
We will be making the ‘flawed methodology’ point in that consultation.
EHDC did approach Government to ask for guidance on an ‘alternative approach’. The Planning Inspector they spoke to supported an alternative approach, but it was agreed that it should be based on EHDC’s Technical Note (late 2021/early 2022) which basically supports the original HEDNA (Housing and Economic Development Needs) Standard Method calculation of housing numbers that we have concerns about.
EHDC can continue working on their Local Plan using current legislation but have said to us that they will “continue to work on our approach to housing need; demonstrating exceptional circumstances and alternatives ways to calculate numbers”. We are yet to see any evidence of an alternative approach.
East Hampshire District Council’s “Issues & Priorities” Consultation Results
We responded to this. Here are a couple of result examples:
Exceptional Circumstances: 63% of respondents were in favour of EHDC devising a revised local housing requirement.
Choice of location for new development: the least preferred option was ‘new settlement’. The first choice for 30% of respondents was either ‘Disperse new development to a wider range of settlements’ or ‘Concentrate new development in the largest settlements’.
For the detail see here: https://www.easthants.gov.uk/planning-services/planning-policy/local-plan/emerging-local-plan/evidence-base/responses-local-plan
Will the SDNP take more housing?
The Leader, EHDC has said
“Whilst the Government recognises that the National Parks are not suitable locations for unrestricted housing, I strongly believe that development is needed in such locations to meet affordable housing needs and to not compromise the vitality and viability of local centres such as Petersfield and Liss.”
He says it’s a ‘shared view’ that growth is needed to sustain its villages and communities.
We are interested in how he will push this point forward with the SDNP and what concrete decisions come out of their ‘regular discussions’.
EHDC – will the Conservative alliance with the Whitehill & Bordon Community Party have any impact on selection of Chawton Park Farm?
The Leader says: “the allocation process should not be affected by the coalition agreement with the Whitehill and Bordon Community Party. I remain determined that we use the most sustainable and least harmful locations for new development wherever possible.”
That's all for now! Thanks as ever for your continued support. Do share!