WRAGE July 2007 Meeting with Hampshire County Council

On 18 July 2007 three members of the Walkford and Roeshot Action Group Executive Peter Martin, Chris Day and John Lloyd attended a meeting at Winchester with Richard Reid and Jeremy Smith of Hampshire County Council (”HCC”).

The meeting was part of the Council’s continuing dialogue with the various stakeholders in the minerals and waste planning process.

The main points to emerge from that meeting were:

1. Subject to certain amendments required by him, the Government’s Inspector has declared Hampshire’s Minerals and Waste Strategy document to be “sound”, and it is now in the course of being adopted by the county’s various City and District Authorities.
2. Contrary to the view originally expressed by HCC, it now considered that the proposed new site at Plumley Wood, north of Ringwood would not by itself satisfy the local production rates required and HCC was therefore looking at prospective sites to the south of Ringwood including those at Walkford and Roeshot.
3. However, on the brighter side, and contrary to the indication given in the Strategy’s key diagram, neither of those sites is now considered suitable for infill with non-hazardous waste. Infill with the less offensive inert waste is still a possibility.
4. The next significant stage in the process will be in October this year when HCC intends to publish its “Preferred Options” document which, as its name suggests, will specify which sites the Council prefers for ultimate inclusion in its Minerals Plan. That publication will be followed by a 6 week consultation period.
5. By October 2008, HCC hopes to be in a position to submit its draft Minerals Plan (by then approved by County Councillors) to Government. This stage will also involve a 6 week public consultation period.
6. By December 2009 HCC hopes to have the final Plan adopted. Once that has taken place then the way will be open to site owners/developers to seek planning consent following the usual planning process.
7. Discussions are already taking place with relevant authorities – principally Dorset County Council, Christchurch Borough Council and the Highways Agency - about the traffic implications of the various sites being considered as potential options. As regards the general routing of sand and gravel traffic, and, given that production from the area mainly supplies Dorset, the latter’s preference and that of Christchurch Borough Council was for the use of the A31 and A338 roads. Failing that for use of the A35. The least favoured route was the A337 through Highcliffe.

There was also a general discussion about the Walkford and Roeshot sites. The WRAGE representatives gained the clear impression that, as between the two, the focus is now moving to Roeshot (the size of which has, as reported elsewhere on this website, recently been reduced). Not only is that site more isolated from main areas of population but it also lacks the complication of an adjoining burial ground. Whilst access from the site onto the A35 at the Cat and Fiddle ‘Pick Your Own’ entrance, is still a possibility, an alternative access out to the  west, behind the Somerford Sainsbury’s was also available for consideration.

However the sand and gravel deposits under Roeshot extend northwards beyond the new northern site boundary towards the hamlet of Waterditch and westwards under the County boundary into Dorset and towards Burton. WRAGE therefore fears that the currently reduced site could simply be the start of a much larger one eventually featuring in the minerals plans of Dorset as well as Hampshire.

WRAGE will continue to oppose any minerals extraction at either site and to ensure that all those affected by any of these proposals are kept fully aware of developments and given every opportunity and encouragement to make their voices heard.