Site: PW02

Pen Hill Plantation

THIS SITE IS NOT SUITABLE FOR CHANGE OF USE TO RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

Accessibility and Transport factors

1. Public transport is very poor, and any family dwelling would need parking for 2 or 3 vehicles.

2. There is a distinct lack of community facilities.

3. There is only one shop in Penwood and no post office. Given the size if the land and its potential density it is difficult to see how the additional vehicle traffic could be accommodated.

4. The junction of the A343 and Penwood Road is already subject to a road safety improvement project due to its being a pedestrian crossing point for local schools. The additional traffic would cause even greater changes to the road layout which would be totally out of keeping with the rural environment.

Environmental factors.

1. This Area is of deciduous woodland, which provides variety of habitat for fauna and flora, and a stream is at the other side of the road which runs parallel to the road, through wet woodland Further building on this site would put enormous pressure on the drainage systems. Run off water would be likely to cause flooding on the A343 and cause difficulty in the surrounding fields and woodland

2. It is also a breeding area for snakes, as it has been well known for years that there are adders, grass snakes and slow worms. These on occasion appear in the local house gardens but are not that obvious in the woods. Deer also use the area as a refuge from the main Pen Wood as there are not many visitors in this little area..

Landscape factors

1. The area is within the North Wessex Downs AONB

2. No significant change has occurred since the last local plan review

3. This woodland area has a great impact on the landscape. The visual impact of the area would be destroyed if building was allowed down to the Highclere A343 Road, as the existing trees hide the housing at Penwood Heights and also act as a barrier against traffic noise from the A343.

Built Environment and Heritage Features

1. Highclere is the gateway to the North Wessex Downs and the County's first Parish, when heading South from West Berkshire along the A343. It is an historic Parish and Highclere Castle attracts visitors from around the world. At this location, traffic is directed to the Castle via Penwood. It is therefore important to also maintain the original landscape, as part of this heritage.

Socio-economic Factors

1. Local schools are already at saturation point in neighbouring Woolton Hill and Burghclere. Local GP surgeries, in neighbouring villages, are under equal pressure.

2. Only a few people are employed locally and apart from home workers most people commute to Newbury or London. More houses mean more commuters and more cars, deterioration of the country lanes, and loss of hedges and rural vistas.

Infrastructure costs and viability factors

1 It is doubtful that the roads could take the wear and tear of a major development during construction as well as the increase in general vehicles movements over future years.

2. There would be immense cost in developing the infrastructure to support a residential change of use on this site. Drainage costs would be significant both financially and in disruption to the roads in the immediate vicinity

3. There is a problem with access to the site as this site borders on a 1 in 7 hill on one side which is the access and the main Andover Road on the other which would need tremendous road restructuring. The siting of the application is not viable due to the number of cars that would be necessary for the new residents.

4. The area described incorporates back gardens to houses. This was land sold off by the previous developer when refused planning permission on an earlier application. The Parish Council has been advised that the builder has tried to pre-empt objections to further development by putting a clause in the house deeds, preventing any householder from objecting to additional housing being built on this land at a future date. All householders should be consulted and made aware that this is illegal, as they may feel intimidated and therefore not inclined to object to this development.