21ha public open space at Land At Cross Farm, Crondall Road, Fleet

The site

The site is a roughly square 27-hectare parcel bounded by roads, a lane and the Basingstoke Canal, with footpaths crossing it.

“The application site comprises an approximately square 27ha parcel of land bounded by The Street to the north, Crondall Road to the west, Zephon Common Lane to the south, and the Basingstoke Canal to the east. It is bisected by public footpaths over the higher ground at its centre and east side. Levels fall away to the west into the valley where the River Hart runs adjacent to the westerly boundary.”

“Permission is sought to change the use of the land from agriculture to public open space to form Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG), including provision of a circular walk, car park, and landscaping, and for the use of part of the land as a biodiversity gain site which would be available for biodiversity net gain (BNG) in relation to other development(s).”

Officer report

Earlier applications

A previous SANG application was withdrawn, while an earlier care village proposal with SANG provision was dismissed on appeal.

“24/02227/FUL – change of use to SANG – withdrawn 13/03/2025.”

“18/00045/OUT – 160 unit care village with 64 bed care home and associated works including provision of SANG – appeal dismissed 14/02/2020.”

Officer report

What officers recommended

Officers recommended permission because the scheme’s substantial public benefits outweighed harms from the car park, heritage, amenity, tree and agricultural impacts.

“The proposed scheme would deliver over 21ha of public open space. This amounts to a considerable benefit in its own right, and as SANG would deliver capacity for the mitigation of new dwellings elsewhere in the context of the current district-wide housing shortfall. It would also preserve the majority of the Cross Farm local gap in perpetuity, in accordance with a key aim of the Neighbourhood Plan.”

“Set against these benefits would be the size and form of the proposed car park, which would result in the loss of a mature oak tree and some harm to local character, heritage assets, and an identified key view. There would also be limited harm as a result of impacts to neighbouring amenity and the loss of agricultural land.”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Consultees raised objections about heritage, landscape, flooding, traffic, parking, ecology, privacy and SANG viability, while several technical consultees later raised no objection subject to conditions.

“Crookham Village Parish Council: Objection on the grounds of heritage and landscape impact, flood risk, traffic and parking, impact to ground nesting birds, neighbours’ privacy and security, and SANG viability.”

“Biodiversity Officer: Initial objection on the grounds of detailed design and potential impact to great crested newts. Objection subsequently lifted after submission of revised drawings and newt mitigation strategy, subject to a legal agreement dealing with SANG costs and management.”

Officer report

Who spoke

A parish councillor, a representative speaking against the application and the applicant’s agent addressed the committee and answered questions.

What members debated

Members debated road safety, visibility, anti-social behaviour, management, car park materials and barriers, SANG design and alternative path routing.

“road safety issues • concerns about visibility of houses from the proposed SANG • anti-social behaviour concerns • SANG management • car park surface material and the possible addition of a condition to request a different, greener car park surface • safety of the car park and possible addition of a condition to request the use of height restriction barrier • design of the SANG • an additional informative to request the applicant to give consideration to an alternative…”

Minutes

The vote

A proposal to defer the application for discussions about traffic calming was defeated, and six members voted for the recommendation against three.

“During discussion, it was proposed by Cllr Forster and seconded by Cllr Crampton that consideration of the planning application be deferred to enable discussion with the Highways Authority on traffic calming issues. In a show of hands this proposal was defeated.”

“The recommendation, as amended at the meeting to include additional conditions on car park height barrier, car park surface treatment and an informative regarding the re-routing of the paths through the SANG, was proposed by Cllr Oliver (Chair) and seconded by Cllr Quarterman. In a show of hands six Members of the Committee voted in favour of the recommendations and three Members voted against.”

Minutes

The decision

The committee granted permission subject to the report’s requirements, amended surface and height-barrier conditions, an alternative-routing informative and a Section 106 agreement.

“The Committee agreed to grant planning permission subject to the conditions and informatives set out in the report and as amended as follows:”

“In the event the Section 106 agreement is not completed within six months of the date of the Committee resolution (or such longer period as may be agreed by the Development Manager), planning permission be refused for the reasons set out at the end of the Committee report.”

Minutes