We last updated you in March urging you to send comments on the HBC pre-submission 2036 plan. A very prescribed format was required and certainly not an easy task to formulate issues in a way that the inspector would take note of. We would like to thank you all for your hard work in sending comments by the required deadline.
The HBC website states: “Now that the consultation has finished, we will collect the responses together, analyse what they say and produce a summary of them, which will be published here in due course. The Local Plan will then be submitted to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, together with the comments received and the Local Plan’s Examination will start. This is expected in the Autumn of 2019. Further detail on the expected timescales moving forward is in the Local Development Scheme.”
(For information on dates see paragraph 18)
Meantime, our attention has been focussed on the request by HBC that a formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed development site should be carried out before a planning application is considered. The Long Copse Lane development is being promoted by Land & Partners Limited and they have appealed against the HBC decision. They have made a case to the Secretary of State that sufficient work has already been carried out by their sponsored studies and that an EIA is not required.
We have reviewed many of the documents provided by Land & Partners (in support of their case) and found many errors and inconstencies. We have drawn these to the attention of the Secretary of State inspector along with a local perspective in support of the HBC decision. We do not yet have a firm date on when the inspector will provide a response but will update you as soon as we have specific dates and responses.
We have been offered space in the Summer 2019 edition of the EMS to review progress on the LCL project. Any new news will also be reported in the article.
Most of you will know that HBC have refused re-submitted plans for Westbrook Close development. The factors cited for the rejection included concerns on drainage and potential impact on the EMS. You may also have seen reports in the Portsmouth News the Natural England have raised concerns on the quantity of Nitrates flowing into the Solent from the mainland. A serious concern and Councils are requesting clarification how to deal with the issues raised.
Such concerns could also apply to pollutants entering the EMS from new developments, especially in Long Copse Lane. We would welcome input from anyone who has the specialist knowledge and skills on the environmental implications of drainage schemes and especially resulting river pollution.