Barton Farm appeal over ruling delay (From Daily Echo)
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Winchester's Barton Farm developer is unhappy
7:20am Thursday 29th April 2010 in News
By Andrew Napier, Winchester Chief Reporter
Barton Farm appeal over ruling delay
THE developer of the 2,000-home Barton Farm scheme has appealed because council planners are taking too long to reach a decision.
CALA Homes is unhappy about Winchester City Council’s non-determination within the deadline. CALA proposes the homes, some 800 of which will be social housing, as well as shops, a primary school and open spaces on farmland off Andover Road.
Mike Emett, CALA land director, said yesterday: “We were concerned about the length of time it was taking, so we felt we had no choice but to appeal.”
The scheme is hugely controversial with some 800 objections to the biggest expansion of Winchester since Badger Farm was first approved in the 1970s.
A public inquiry is being arranged for September.
In the meantime, if councillors say they would have approved the application then the public inquiry is unlikely to be held.
The final decision will be made by the Secretary of State.
CALA has also resubmitted an identical application to run concurrently with the appeal.
Mr Emett said: “It allows us to continue the dialogue in the hope that a positive decision locally can be achieved before the public inquiry takes place.”
Gavin Blackman, chairman of the Save Barton Farm Group, said: “[This] shows that CALA is determined to destroy this farmland despite the overwhelming opposition of Winchester residents. We trust that the city council will again refuse CALA’s application.”
CALA hopes to secure planning permission this year, start work in 2011-12, with the first homes going up in 2012-13 and completion by 2023.
Comments(6)
Ted Rogers
says...
2:34pm Thu 29 Apr 10
StEmmosfire wrote:Completely agree re the green belt. There are enough brownfield sites to accomodate new housing requirements.
Dont build it, save our green belt. There is no need for new housing this is a fallacy.
mjh
says...
6:37pm Thu 29 Apr 10
Ted Rogers wrote:I agree with both correspondents; as the person who told the Hampshire Chronicle about this appeal (it was hidden away on the council website), I think that Cala Homes' tactics are extremely dubious; they are trying to circumvent local opinion by getting the decision made by the Secretary of State. Winchester's transport, eductional and medical infrastructure is struggling now; it certainly can't cope with an increase in population of 6-8000 people (i.e. 15-20%)
StEmmosfire wrote: Dont build it, save our green belt. There is no need for new housing this is a fallacy.Completely agree re the green belt. There are enough brownfield sites to accomodate new housing requirements.
Irate Wintonian
says...
7:15pm Thu 29 Apr 10
mjh wrote:Build it now!
Ted Rogers wrote:I agree with both correspondents; as the person who told the Hampshire Chronicle about this appeal (it was hidden away on the council website), I think that Cala Homes' tactics are extremely dubious; they are trying to circumvent local opinion by getting the decision made by the Secretary of State. Winchester's transport, eductional and medical infrastructure is struggling now; it certainly can't cope with an increase in population of 6-8000 people (i.e. 15-20%)StEmmosfire wrote: Dont build it, save our green belt. There is no need for new housing this is a fallacy.Completely agree re the green belt. There are enough brownfield sites to accomodate new housing requirements.
The article states only 800 objections. By your own figures that is only 2% of the City's population that object!
desirodave
says...
9:28pm Thu 29 Apr 10
A friend of mine can not afford to buy a home and has been told by the City council it is unlikely they will ever get a council flat.
My friend was born raised and educated in Winchester - yet she has to live outside the city
mjh
says...
9:45pm Thu 29 Apr 10
desirodave wrote:I'm not denying that Winchester needs affordable housing, but there are plenty of sites (Silver Hill for example) which have far less negative impact on existing residents and don't take land which is needed to grow food!
I think Winchester needs more homes. A friend of mine can not afford to buy a home and has been told by the City council it is unlikely they will ever get a council flat. My friend was born raised and educated in Winchester - yet she has to live outside the city
StEmmosfire says...
10:57am Thu 29 Apr 10