A PROPOSAL by a Jersey-based company to develop part of a 35-acre site on land at Lynch Hill, Mill Lane, Alton, has met with a mixed response.

The outline application by Tanvale Holdings Ltd is for the development of up to 15 acres of employment floorspace (use classes B1a (office), B1c (light industrial), B2 (general industrial) and B8 (storage and distribution) with associated access and green infrastructure.

While welcoming the employment opportunities the proposal would bring to the town, especially given the mix of industrial use envisaged, both the Alton Society and Alton Town Council have serious misgivings about some of the key aspects of the application – none more so than the proposed access onto Montecchio Way.

Following a meeting of town council planners on November 2, councillors have registered strong objection to the access proposal which, they believe, “would lead to an unacceptable increase in vehicular traffic using a sub-standard access junction” onto what is already a congested stretch of road that often sees congestion backing up onto the A31 Holybourne roundabout.

In its objection, the Alton Society further points out: “Having two ‘industrial’ access points into Montecchio Way (this and Mill Lane, and so close to the A31 roundabout) is unacceptable in terms of the likely traffic congestion, especially given the anticipated traffic growth from the imminent Cadnam’s Farm and Anstey Road playing field developments.”

The Society believes the only feasible access point would be to use the current access from Mill Lane, via Waterbrook Road.

And a statement reported: “Not only does the applicant admit that ‘a Waterbrook Road access is preferable’, but we are quite sure that development up the southern hill slope was historically always assumed to be a logical extension to the Waterbrook Estate itself.”

Alton Town Council strongly recommends that the developers consult with Hampshire County Council and East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) on their jointly funded, recently produced, traffic study.

There is concern also over the visual impact of the proposed development on Alton’s skyline, which the Alton Society describes as “unacceptable”.

While accepting that the site – an arable field – has been allocated for employment use in East Hampshire District Council’s local plan, there is concern that the illustrative masterplan shows plans for office buildings up to 12 metres high on the peak of the hill.

The Society statement continued: “We feel that such substantial buildings should be confined to the lower slopes.”

While the developer’s design and access statement suggests that the visual impact would be mitigated by landscaping and screening, the Society points out that while the site is quite well hidden from the western side and from the A31 bypass, it would be clearly visible from the south, from places like Windmill Hill. It is further pointed out that existing screening would not be as effective in the winter months when the hills north of both Alton and Holybourne would be impacted.

In making reference to the impact on the skyline – “a defining feature” of the town, as identified in Alton’s Neighbourhood Plan – the Society statement continues: “Quite apart from the immediate visual impact of these plans, we believe that breaching the skyline in this way would set a dangerous precedent for the future.”

It is a concern echoed by Alton Town Council with councillors drawing attention also to treatment of foul water on site that may, potentially, end up polluting the River Wey.

The town council further points out that the Environment Agency in its comments has said that surface drainage of the site is inadequate while Thames Water has suggested the imposition of a ‘Grampian style’ condition (a planning condition attached to a decision notice that prevents the start of a development until off-site works have been completed – in this case work to ensure effective drainage of the site) which Alton Town Council wholly endorses.

Councillors point out that local knowledge indicates that Holybourne is prone to flooding issues and the town council is asking from more detailed information to satisfy the concern that surface drainage of the site could have an adverse impact on London Road in Holybourne.

In its response, Binsted Parish Council has endorsed the town council’s objections, and there are currently 14 online objections to the application from residents, highlighting similar concerns to what at least one objector refers to as a future “blot on the landscape”.