18/2/2008

Local News in Fleet

Date set for Pyestock mega depot debate

Plans to build a massive warehouse between Fleet and Farnborough will be discussed at a public meeting next month.

Hart District Council’s planning committee will discuss redevelopment proposals for the former Pyestock site at the Princes Hall, Aldershot, on Wednesday March 19.

Joint developers Prupim and Astral have so far submitted four separate applications for planning permission for a mega-depot on the former Ministry of Defence site.

They have already appealed to the government on the grounds of Hart District Council’s non-determination of an outline planning application submitted in March 2007.

A public inquiry will be held into the scheme. Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Com-munities and Local Government, will make the final decision on that application.

Meanwhile, a detailed planning application, which was lodged on Christmas Eve, remains with Hart District Council to determine.

Both applications will be up for discussion at next month’s planning committee meeting.
Hart said it had decided to book the Princes Hall for the meeting because of the “massive local interest” in the applications.

So far it has received around  12,000 letters of objection to all four schemes from horrified residents. Protestors warn the mega-depot will generate noise and pollution, with huge lorries, vans and cars visiting the site 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Campaigners are concerned the unsightly development will harm conservation areas, including Fleet Pond Nature Reserve, and ruin the strategic green gap between Fleet and Farnborough.

Hart said the main auditorium at Princes Hall would have sound links to the two conference rooms downstairs so that around 900 people can attend the meeting or hear proceedings.

The planning committee will discuss its position on the appeal and be presented with its officers’ recommendations on the latest application.

Hart said there would be a different structure to the debate than at ordinary planning committee meetings.

Following a general introduction, the debate will follow a topic-based approach.
Officers will introduce the topic, then the applicants will be allowed up to four minutes to make representations, followed by a similar maximum time for objectors.

There will be a final opportunity to address the com-mittee for four minutes as a general conclusion.
The committee will then debate the topic.

Six major topics are to be covered — development plan policies, traffic generation, noise and air quality, visual issues including the effect on the strategic gap between Fleet and Farnborough, ecological issues and employment issues.

The campaign group SPLAT (Stop Pyestock bLot Act Today) has expressed concern about the time given to present its case on each topic.

Spokeswoman Shan Healey said: “We are grateful for the opportunity to state our case for each of the issues.
“However, the four allocated minutes are unlikely to be sufficient for the topics of traffic and noise.
“These are very complex technical issues and will require longer.
“We would like to allocate time in proportion to the weight of our argument.
“The socio-economic issues could be dispelled in a sentence. For example, Hart has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, whereas a detailed analysis of the grossly underrated traffic and noise impact will take much longer than four minutes.”

Cllr Peter Moyle, leader of Conservative-run Rushmoor Borough Council, criticised Hart for taking so long over the Pyestock applications.

He said: “I wish they had arrived at this planning committee date sooner. People have been saying to them ‘for God’s sake make up your mind’.
“This is what happens when you get a fragile coalition leadership. No one is brave enough to come up with a clear line.
“Had Hart settled on this date some time ago then perhaps the developer might not have gone to appeal.”

Cllr Moyle said Hart District Council leader David Neighbour has promised him that it will consider the views of Rushmoor people when the borough council’s development control committee comments on the Pyestock plan on Wednesday February 27.

He added: “Had they made that point right from the start then maybe the applicant wouldn’t have done what they’ve done.
“The people I feel sorry for are those in my St John’s ward and the adjoining wards of Cove and Southwood who must be totally confused by Hart’s position.”

A Prupim spokesman said the company welcomed the council’s decision to set the March date to consider the detailed application.
He added: “It is a pity that they did not deal with the outline application as promptly. We hope that the councillors will consider the application on its merits.
“We believe that the proposals are in line with the council’s own planning policies, which recommend that the site should be retained for employment uses.”

The spokesman said the proposals would clean up the contaminated and derelict site, which is ideally located for a distribution depot.

He added: “We recognise that the application has generated opposition from residents but believe that there is a very strong planning case for what we are proposing.”

First printed in: Fleet News and Mail