As your local Member of Parliament, I have had many people express concern to me about the potential new warehouse development at Lodge Farm in North Warnborough. I want to make your views heard in any planning process at Hart District Council (HDC).
No formal planning application has yet been made to HDC; the developer, Obsidian Strategic, have, however, recently held their own consultation on some revised proposals. This follows the feedback from the community to their pre-application submission last year.
Planning decisions are made local councillors – at HDC in this case – but I think it is important that they are properly aware of your views before making any decision, and believe that it is my job to help you.
I have always had a very clear view – as set out on my website, at: ranil.uk/charter – that we should be regenerating brownfield land first, not building on greenfield sites. Whether it is the Council or a private developer, it is perfectly possible to buy up brownfield land and reuse redundant employment land. Where a local Council decides that development should go ahead, it is critical that any development must commit to infrastructure improvements too, including the delivery of capital expenditure on roads, preferably in advance. I do not believe there is a need for any major greenfield development in North East Hampshire in the next Local Plans – which decide future planning policy – and there was no proposal for a warehouse at this location in the current Local Plan.
To make sure your views are heard at the highest level in HDC, please take a moment to complete my 60-second survey.
Thank you for helping me represent your views.
