FROYLE Parish Council is currently considering its next move after East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) granted permission for two applications by Froyle Park Ltd for a new car park and variation in noise conditions.

The parish council had mounted a challenge to both applications, arguing that they were “predicated and entirely contingent” on the present use of the 17th Century Jacobean manor house as a legitimate wedding venue which, having sought legal advice, it “fundamentally contests”.

By contrast, acting on behalf of Froyle Park Ltd (part of the Nicholas James Group), David Jobbins, of Southampton-based agents Luken Beck, said that as an experienced chartered town planner, he believed Froyle Park Ltd to be “acting entirely within the terms of the planning agreement”.

Despite having held fire on two previous occasions to allow time to consider Froyle Parish Council’s allegations, at EHDC’s planning meeting on July 7, the decision was taken to override the parish council and go ahead with the applications, both of which were approved.

The decision will pave the way for the construction of a 62-space, on-site car park which, according to Mr Jobbins, will replace the existing overspill site, and a variation in condition to low frequency music levels, which has changed with the construction of nearby housing.

The new car parking facility, said Mr Jobbins, would do away with guests having to walk along the village lane to access their vehicles, which has at times resulted in noise and disruption to local residents, and would consolidate parking next to the venue.

The parish council argued that the provision of yet more parking would have a negative impact on what is “the most sensitive site in the Upper Froyle conservation area”.

Councillors believe it will “interfere with distant views of Froyle Park (Grade II*) and St Mary’s Church (Grade I). The impact on the church would be particularly significant during the winter. Reflections from the parked cars will be seen right across the Wey valley, they say.

The decision, however, was made subject to a legal agreement to secure the removal of the existing car park at the top of Hen and Chicken Hill. Only once this has been secured will the decision notice be released and that, according to EHDC, is expected shortly.

Objectors are furious with the decision, pointing out that the proposed car park is located in parkland outside the settlement policy boundary for the village where development would not normally be permitted, and that it will lie close to the memorial garden for children of Treloar School who died while still pupils.

There is real concern too over access which, according to the parish council, looks from the plans to be via the main gate onto Ryebridge Lane. But this would conflict with an undertaking received from the management of Froyle Park that after 9pm access and egress will be via The Avenue and Gid Lane.

Neither options is ideal: if access is to be via the main gates then the disruption to residents in Upper Froyle will be even greater than previously.

However, from the outset Froyle Parish Council has resisted any suggestion that access to the site should be via The Avenue and (single track) Gid Lane, partly in a bid “to preserve the peace and tranquillity of the parkland” but mainly because of “the danger of the Gid Lane/A31 junction”.

It is pointed out that “very few villagers use this junction because of the poor visibility and the speed of oncoming traffic”. Furthermore, “proposals to improve the junction are unlikely to get support from Hampshire Highways”.

Commenting on this aspect of the application, county councillor Mark Kemp-Gee said: “Clearly the access on to the A31 from Gid Lane is a worry as the traffic does whistle down the dual-carriageway there but at least it is left turn only so better than trying to cross the dual-carriageway to go in the opposite (Alton) direction.

“However, I understand that the owner of Froyle Place has offered in the past to put in some traffic-calming measures such as hatching and a possible scheme to restrict traffic passing the Gid Lane exit on the dual carriageway to the right hand lane at his own expense and that is something I will now be investigating with Hampshire Highways safety engineers.”

Of the application to review the condition concerning noise levels from the venue, the parish council fears it will result in an increase in permitted noise levels that will be more clearly heard by neighbouring residents.

The company claims the changes have been brought about following the building of homes close to the venue which, following extensive noise testing, has resulted in a request by EHDC’s environmental health team for amendments, and these the company claims to have complied with.