HMS Daedalus site to be transformed (From Daily Echo)

HMS Daedalus site to be transformed

9:17am Friday 30th March 2012 in News By Bethan Phillips, Reporter

HMS Daedalus site to be transformed

PLANNING bosses have given the go-ahead to a major technology and manufacturing hub in Hampshire – set to create nearly 4,000 jobs.

The former HMS Daedalus site between Stubbington and Lee-on-the-Solent will undergo a huge regeneration. More than a million square feet of employment space could be created on the airfield, with planners expecting to attract around 3,700 new jobs over the next 14 years – mainly in aerospace and marine industries.

Councillors at Fareham Borough Council and Gosport Borough Council both gave their official approval to the plans at two crunch meetings yesterday.

Both councils had to grant outline planning permission for the development as the 400-acre site is split over the boundary between the two.

The site was designated as one of 11 enterprise zones around the country by the Government last August and businesses that decide to invest there could benefit from discounted rates and guaranteed superfast broadband.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), which owns most of the land and is running the project with the Solent Local Enteprise Partnership (LEP) and Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH), expects between 38 and 45 businesses to set up there initially.

The outline planning permission also paves the way for 164 new homes, a sheltered housing development and community and leisure facilities.

During the meeting of Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee concerns were raised about the proximity of large manufacturing buildings to homes in Stubbington. It was agreed to limit the height of the closest buildings to nine metres.

Plans were also added to allow for a car park so residents in the village would be able to use it for walking and recreation.

They also imposed a condition that says the site, which is used as an airfield by a variety of flying and gliding clubs and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s helicopter, would be limited to 40,000 flights a year.

Councillors at both Fare-ham and Gosport approved the plans unanimously.

Gary Jeffries, director of the Solent LEP, welcomed the outcome of the meetings. He said: “These decisions are a fantastic result for the local economy and will help to unlock the huge potential this site has.”