PLANS for the major redevelopment of Winchester’s Army training camp have taken a step forward.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), part of the Ministry of Defence, held an initial community consultation last year on its masterplan for the future of Sir John Moore Barracks.

A variety of housing has been proposed, including apartments and specialist elderly accommodation, along with a neighbourhood centre which could include community and sport and leisure facilities.

Part of the site has also been earmarked for employment and commercial use, with the potential for a park and ride also being explored.

Developers have now asked Winchester City Council for its opinion – formally known as a ‘scoping opinion’ – in relation to the topics, methods of assessment and the level of detail that would be required in the Environmental Statement that must accompany a future planning application.

Julie Pinnock, the council’s service lead for built environment, has responded to the developers with a 35-page report covering a number of points from climate change and carbon, transport, animal habitats and species, and types of housing.

The development site contains the Flowerdown Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), which requires a “long-term management plan”.

Ms Pinnock has asked developers to consider whether the SINC will have public access and the impacts that any access may have.

In June 2019 the city council declared a climate emergency and since then has been working towards the district becoming carbon neutral by 2030.

The council has asked developers to describe the “likely and significant effects of the development on the environment and measures envisaged to avoid, reduce and, if possible, remedy” those effects.

It has provided a list of measures it would like to see in the scheme, these include the use of low carbon impact materials, encouragement of composting and a waste management plan that minimises rubbish going to landfill.

But it has also asked developers to produce a sustainable transport strategy that “maximises the convenience for residents and visitors of non-motorised transport options in and around the site and provides all residents and visitors the ability to charge electric vehicles”.

Any Environmental Statement should also contain an examination of the potential impacts on heritage assets, this includes the Littleton Conservation Area and listed buildings within it.

Particular concern was raised around the barracks chapel which was earmarked to remain.

Ms Pinnock said in her report: “It is not yet clear whether any works are envisaged to the retained building, and this should be clarified. Any works to the chapel itself would have the potential to affect the significance of this non-designated heritage asset directly, and should be assessed as part of the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment).”

The planning application for the proposed scheme is currently expected to be submitted in mid-2021. The MoD will vacate the site in phases between 2022 and 2024.

Phased construction of the proposed scheme is currently anticipated to take place between 2022 and 2035.