CAGE - Clean Air Green Environment

NEWS FROM CAGE

14th August 2024

We’re frequently asked, ‘what’s happening about the warehouse plans at Dummer?’

Keeping up to date isn’t easy as so much is happening but we want you to know what’s going on, to write again to BDBC re-stating why you object to the warehouse plans, and to ask you to attend the forthcoming Planning Meeting (September or October - date as yet unknown).

It is SO IMPORTANT that the BDBC planners and members of the Planning Committee (DCC) know YOUR views.

So here is a summary of where ‘things’ are now.

• It’s becoming clear that traffic and its management is a key issue
• Still relevant is the Impact on the landscape (the reason HM Inspector turned down the previous plan)
• HCC has asked Newlands the developers to address items in their traffic assessment
• The lighting proposed in the Southwood Farm area will change the countryside environment for ever
• The traffic plans as we understand are potentially unenforceable given experience elsewhere.
• The occupiers of the 8 warehouses are still unknown. Two smaller warehouses may not use HGVs but local delivery vans.

For more material to use in your letter of objection, please check out our website www.cleanairgreenenvironment.org

HAMPSHIRE HIGHWAYS ASKS FOR 'HOLD' ON THE
DEVELOPER'S PLANNING APPLICATION.

HCC Highways has examined the developer's recently submitted amendments and consequently has asked for a HOLD until their concerns are met.

CAGE and Dummer Parish Council are regarded as a powerful local lobby. CAGE's membership and actions have made it clear that this P.A. should be refused as stated by H.M Inspector at the public inquiry.
See https://cleanairgreenenvironment.org for information on what you can say about the potential increased level of traffic in the area should the warehouses be built.

Oakdown Farm Planning Application 23/01320/FUL

Hello! CAGE here giving you an update on the developer's recent amendments. Little has changed so we're asking you to write your objection/s to - https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/ The letters should be in by 20th July,2024.

We know that it is a very busy time right now (and so do the developers) but you can use your previous letter of objection or visit the CAGE website - https://cleanairgreenenvironment.org to check out the reasons to object. You could use just the headlines given or the information as well.

Thanks for your support and interest!!!!
8th July, 2024.

HAVING ANOTHER GO!!!!!!

Yes, once again the developer, Newlands has submitted an amended plan to Basingstoke Council addressing some of the Parish Council's objections to their latest application (23/03120/FUL).
Thanks to all who have already written their letters of objection. We're assessing this new information and we will be asking you to write again by 20th July.

We still don't know when the warehouse development will come before the Development Control Committee but it could be as early as 10th August.

The timing of the submission of these amended plans comes when the General Election issues are in the limelight, so it would be only too easy for us all to go off the boil and be distracted from Newlands' intentions to get this planning application through

With the General Election in mind, we met with Damian Hinds (Conservative) who may remain as our new MP replacing Kit Malthouse. The constituency boundaries will be changing at the election, so we're hoping to meet the other candidates to ensure that they are all aware of the Oakdown Farm warehouse development. Thanks to County Councillor Juliet Henderson for arranging this meeting on our behalf.

CAGE Comment
This wild flower (Lychnis) grows on farmland in Dummer. Makes one wonder just how many unrecorded wild flowers there are on the Oakdown Farm site? Obviously, natural vegetation including flowers, grasses, trees and shrubs will be lost for ever IF the 23/01320/FUL Planning Application gets approval.
WRITE AGAIN TO THE PLANNING DEPT AT BASINGSTOKE COUNCIL to object to the obliteration of the 100+ acres of farmland under threat.
It's YOUR environment......
Thank you for your interest and support.

This local resident appears every morning and evening and perches on a yew branch looking for his next meal!

The building of the 8 warehouses on J7M3 will jeopardise his existence and that of the wildlife on the Oakdown Farm site.
Basingstoke Council must REFUSE this planning application 23/03120/FUL as it is completely at odds with national and local declarations relating to climate change, global warming and ecological protection.
Basingstoke Council has an opportunity to protest clearly about developments on their patch which compromise climate
change imperatives set by themselves since July 2019.

LOCAL ELECTION NEWS!!

CAGE now knows that Diane Taylor has lost her seat on Basingstoke Council in the recent local elections. Diane has been a brilliant supporter of CAGE bringing her wealth of experience, excellent communication skills, motivation, and high level of commitment plus action to local issues. Her successor, Councillor Julian Jones, will doubtless be inspired by her example.

We sincerely hope that Diane will feel able to continue to give her much appreciated valuable support to local causes such as CAGE.

FURTHER ELECTION NEWS.
Stacey Hart has been elected to represent the Hatch Warren and Beggarwood ward in Basingstoke. Congratulations on achieving this success from CAGE.

LOCAL ELECTIONS TODAY!!!!

After today the membership of the Planning Committee at Basingstoke Council is likely to change.
We won't know which councillors will vote to REFUSE or PASS the developer's planning application for 8 warehouses on junction 7/M3.

The new website cleanairgreenenvironment.org has the information you need to write again to our Council to ensure that all the newly elected members of the Planning Committee know how strongly you object to the 4th attempt to remove forever the 110 acres of farmland, the Oakdown Farm trees, shrubs and wildlife.

CAGE NEWS 20.4.24

PLANNING APPLICATION FOR 8 WAREHOUSES AT OAKDOWN FARM DUMMER (23/03120/FUL).

YOU MAY BE ASKING WHY HAS THIS APPLICATION BEEN GOING ON SINCE 2021?
WON’T THE COUNCIL’S PLANNING COMMITTEE JUST GIVE IN THIS TIME AFTER 4 REFUSALS INCLUDING A PUBLIC INQUIRY?

As our supporters know It has been ‘going on’ for such a long time because there is a vast amount of opposition to the building of the warehouses on open countryside.
There are many reasons why CAGE still thinks it should be turned down including HM’s Inspector’s dismissal of the Planning Application and the petition signed by 102,000 who objected to the destruction of the Oakdown Oaks on the site.

The dates of the next Planning Committee (DCC) meetings are 15th May and following that 12th June. The Oakdown Farm (OF) submission may be dealt with at either of those meetings or in the future.

The local council elections take place on 2nd May so we cannot know exactly the composition of the DCC until after that.

We are currently working on our submission to Basingstoke Council. We intend to send personal letters to the members of the DCC to ensure that they know the opinions of the community about the 8-warehouse development at OF. Currently, there are 334 letters of objection in Planning Comments on BDBC’s planning portal. (You can see the letters people and the statutory consultees have sent in by visiting BDBC’s planning section – don’t forget you need to log in before you can access any comments.

Please check what our Borough Councillor Diane Taylor and Dummer Parish Council have to say in their comments to find other reasons why you might want to write again to Basingstoke Council encouraging all members of your household and others to write as soon as possible.

YOUR ACTIVE SUPPORT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE !

Thank you.

CAGE (Clean Air Green Environment) | protest Join the CAGE campaign for a cleaner, greener environment. Stay updated on the latest news, donate, and help stop the warehouses. Take action now!

HOSPITAL NEXT TO JUNCTION 7 M3 LOOKS MORE AND MORE LIKELY - SEE THIS ARTICLE!!!!

CAGE sees unimaginable traffic problems if the Oakdown 8- warehouse site goes ahead. The developer's (Newlands) planning application must be stopped! Don't forget when the warehouse plans are likely to come before the Planning Committee, the committee will NOT BE ABLE to take any hospital plans into account. The members can ONLY CONSIDER the application in front of them at the relevant meeting. WRITE TO [email protected]

Hospitals minister says land for Junction 7 hospital will be bought this year A minister has pledged to buy the land near Junction 7 of the M3 this year.

TRAFFIC!!!!

A call to action!
Please write to [email protected]" rel="ugc" target="_blank">[email protected] saying you understand that THREE of the statuary consultees have written objections to Newlands’ planning application 23/03120/FUL. Two are from the Tree Officer and the Biodiversity Team.
Now the latest HOLDING OBJECTION from Highways is summarised on www.cleanairgreenenvironment.org Please just state that you wish to register your support for these THREE objections.

Here is what HCC Cllr. Stephen Reid has to say about the traffic in this area:
https://reidaboutbasingstoke.co.uk

Reid About Basingstoke % - Reid About Basingstoke - Basingstoke News What is happening in Basingstoke, by someone who knows the place. Subscribe to the blog to get the latest news. Get the inside track on many of today's local issues.

THE OAKDOWN OAKS AGAIN!!!!!
Remember this picture? It'll remind you of our successful fight to save the oak trees in 2021.
Today both the Tree Officer and the Biodiversity Team at BDBC submitted their comments to the Planning Officer and recommended the REFUSAL of Newland's latest planning application - 23/03120/FUL. See Trees and Biodiversity in - [email protected].

You can write more than one letter of objection to the Planning Officer at BDBC so please write again.

SEE HOW THE LOCAL PLAN UPDATE WILL AFFECT YOU. Click on this interactive map which shows the Oakdown Farm site in blue.

Local Plan Update (Regulation 18) A WMA available to our website for the Local Plan Updated 2024

CAGE LATEST NEWS 14th February 2024

CAGE’S MAIN OBJECTIVE IS STILL TO STOP THE WAREHOUSES
314 letters of objection to Newlands’ latest plans, (23/03120/FUL) have been sent to BDBC. You can see them here.
https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=S5XBJWCRJRH00
Please keep the letters coming by talking to anyone and everyone you know and encourage them to write. The date on which the Development Control Committee meets and makes its decision is unknown but likely to be around April/May, so there’s plenty of time to get more letters in.

ANOTHER ISSUE IS RUNNING ALONGSIDE THE WAREHOUSE PLANNING APPLICATION - THE LOCAL PLAN UPDATE which will guide development/planning in this area until 2040.

Click here to see a short introductory clip by Cllr. Andy Konieczko. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GQ8vv4XuQM
The LPU (as it’s known) has been publicised by BDBC who want feedback on it by 4th March. Its aim is to create a new plan for Basingstoke which now includes 8 housing areas and
Oakdown Farm, Dummer warehouses /industrial floorspace.
Please comment by visiting: www.basingstoke.gov.uk/LPU-have-your-say.

Dummer Parish Council’s website has a map with more detailed information on the LPU. See: http://www.dummerparishcouncil.gov.uk

Thanks for your interest and support!

CAGE Team

Plan to slow down housebuilding in Basingstoke and Deane Slowing down the number of new houses being built in Basingstoke and Deane is being proposed by the borough council’s new Cabinet to give infrastructure, fac...

HEIGHT OF THE 8 WAREHOUSES PROPOSED AT OAKDOWN FARM DUMMER.The photo below gives a clear idea of the height of the proposed largest warehouse opposite Trenchard's Lane at J7/M3. At 18 metres in height, It will be truly shocking, dominating the landscape for miles around. Please re-post this to everyone in the area.

It's 1st February 2024 - a new month and a new clean, modern website. PLEASE VISIT IT AT- cleanairgreenenvironment.org. Feedback will be welcome.

We need your help as we want to ensure that everyone knows just how strongly people feel about this proposed development by increasing the NUMBER OF LETTERS OF OBJECTION. We've already reached over 300 + but need to continue to talk to everyone we know about the 8-warehouse development plans at Oakdown Farm, Dummer.

This week we've been thinking about pollution from traffic in and around J7 - it'll come from residents' cars in Hounsome Fields, the Bloor homes site, the local villages, the M3, the A30, and then all the traffic that 8 warehouses will generate (59 HGVs per hour - one every minute).

WRITE TO: [email protected] - Ref. 23/01320/FUL. THANK YOU!!!!!

LOOK AT THE PICTURE ON THIS POST - you'll see just how much the whole area will be affected by Newland's latest planning application for 8 warehouses.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have now received 180 letters of objection!! This is great news but we need many more so please encourage everyone you know to write.

23RD JANUARY is the first post date for comments about the warehouse planning application to arrive at the Planning Dept., Basingstoke and Deane Council.

PLEASE SEND YOURS IN ASAP. Thank you!

You can send an email to this address and type what you want to say [email protected] OR Register on the planning portal and then type your comment.

Thanks to those who have already written to Basingstoke & Deane Council with their comments on the Oakdown Farm site, Dummer (23/03120/FUL).

We understand that some people have encountered problems when trying to send their comments. Here is a list of ways to make sure your comments reach the right place.

1. Email: [email protected] – you will
need to register directly on the site before you make a comment or view other comments.

2. Email: [email protected] – you can send an email to this address and type in what you want to say or attach your comments in an email as a Word document.

3. You can write a letter to The Planning Department, Basingstoke and Deane District Council, Civic Offices, London Rd., Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG21 4AH.

4. You can call Brian O’Donovan, the Planning Officer on this case on 01256-845417.

If you want to find specific issues to write about here are some points you could refer to.
More background information will be found on the new CAGE - Clean Air Green Environment CAGE - Clean Air Green Environment website when it launches very soon.

1. Landscape and Visual Impact. The changes in the new plans, especially from some local significant viewpoints, will make little difference to the Inspector’s reasons for refusing the previous plan. At night, the negative impact of the 24-hour lighting from the warehouses will be experienced by residents, businesses, and wildlife.

2. Economic Need. This has not been established. The new application would create more logistics floor space than is required by the Local Plan. Warehouse workers would come out of this area as there are already many unfilled warehouse jobs in Basingstoke.

3. Traffic on local and strategic road network. Whilst the plans show road improvements on the Southwood Farm and A30 routes, long-term re-structuring will be needed as other proposals will generate unsustainable levels of traffic movements in the future. There is no provision for waiting areas for HGVs to allow drivers to gain a timed entrance to the site.

4. Green issues. Hundreds of thousands of tons of concrete will be poured over fertile farmland, to provide the platform on which the 8 warehouses will be built. Despite meeting various environmental building requirements, this warehouse site will eliminate natural wildlife and destroy long-established hedges and trees. Basingstoke Council has a commitment to zero carbon to reduce greenhouse gasses – this development is not going to help.

CAGE - Clean Air Green Environment Clean Air Green Environment

CAGE Message.
Letters of Objection to this third Planning Application by Newlands, the developers, should be sent by 23rd January, 2024. Emails and letters can be sent by people and oganisations not only in the local area but from anywhere else. You can repeat what you said last time and/or talk about
the Inspector’s refusal on landscape grounds. If you would like a copy of the Inspector's report, please email: [email protected]. Most important is the number of objections sent so you could just say ‘I object’. The planning reference is: 23/03120/FUL and the address is: https://planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=S5XBJWCRJRH00&activeTab=summary
Please check that neighbours who may not have email, know the postal address - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Civic Offices, London Rd., Basingstoke, RG21 4 AH.

Thank you for your continued support - it’s rather like David and Goliath as the developers have such huge financial resources but twice before their applications have been turned down so let’s keep going…

planning.basingstoke.gov.uk

FERTILE NOT STERILE LAND!
As our followers may know, Newlands, the developers, submitted a new Planning Application on 19th December 2023. This is their 3rd Planning Application on the Oakdown Farm Site next to junction 7 of the M3. CAGE is working behind the scenes to understand all the implications of this planning submission. Should it go ahead the impact on the local area will be huge.
Please share this post with your followers.

LATEST CAGE NEWS – 10th December 2023

The CAGE Steering Group has been monitoring local plans since the Public Enquiry when Newland’s, (the developer) plans for warehouses on Oakdown Farm , Dummer, were rejected by the Inspector. As you may know, there are now two Planning Applications in the pipeline - both will have a significant impact on the local area. One is a revised warehouse scheme on Oakdown Farm, and the other is a new Basingstoke Hospital north of Junction 7 of the M3. Here are the timings for both applications:

Basingstoke Hospital: consultation started, possible PA submission March 2024.
Oakdown Farm warehouses consultation started, possible PA submission December 2023.

When Planning Applications are made, each one is considered on its own merit. Other future potential Planning Applications in the area which might impact a current application, will not be taken into account.

The Local Plan Update is in process now. This plan will set out how Basingstoke and the district, should develop over the next 15 years. We’ll be keeping you informed about this as it is significant when it comes to planning in the SW of Basingstoke.

Please visit the CAGE website: www.cleanairgreenenvironment.org
and the CAGE page: CAGE - Clean Air Green Environment for news and information.

If you are interested in taking an active role in CAGE’s work, we’d be very happy to hear from you.

Since it’s been some time since we posted regularly if you know of anyone who might like to receive CAGE info, please email as below with their details. If you no longer wish to receive CAGE communications, please also email: [email protected].

UP-TO-THE-MINUTE INFORMATION ABOUT NEWLANDS' NEW PROPOSED PLANS FROM CAGE - August 2023

Newlands, the developer who have twice applied to build massive warehouses on Junction 7 of the M3, (Oakdown Farm) has sent to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council a pre-application pack with a view to progressing revised proposals for Oakdown Farm.

The Parish Council is acknowledging receipt of an email about this, and is making contact with both the Consultants and the Planning Officers at Basingstoke. The view of the Parish Council is that any further application would be premature and should wait for the completion of the Local Plan Update which is likely to include multiple development proposals for south west Basingstoke, including a possible hospital, southern Manydown, Popham Airfield and adaptations to the strategic road network, which were received during the Planning Inspector's inquiry but too late for his consideration. The various processes and consultations of the Local Plan Update are unlikely to be completed before late 2025.

WAREHOUSE PLANS ARE DISMISSED BY PLANNING INSPECTOR!!!

Our followers and supporters will be delighted to know that all the hard work of the past 2 years has resulted in the Newland's (the developers), warehouse planning application being REFUSED.

Now the countryside around junction 7 can continue to be enjoyed by walkers, cyclists, residents and businesses. This result shows that people really care about the environment and want to preserve the important landscape in this area.

Thanks so much for the support and interest shown in this proposal - it really made a difference.

Read below for fuller information:

'In his summary the planning Inspector stated: I accept that the proposed amount of floorspace is justified with reference to sub regional and local demand. However, my findings on the degree of landscape and visual harm arising from the scheme reflect both the extent of ground works required and its scale and massing when set against the site’s constraints. These matters have not been satisfactorily resolved through mitigation in accordance with policy. The extent of harm arising from the appeal scheme’s adverse landscape and visual impacts is the determining issue in this appeal. I conclude that the degree of harm caused by this scheme would be of such significance that it conflicts with Policies EM1 and EP1g) of the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan 2016. 114. Having considered all the evidence before me the proposal conflicts with the Development Plan when taken as a whole and there are no material considerations to outweigh this finding. For this reason, the appeal is dismissed.'

WAREHOUSE PUBLIC INQUIRY 18-21st OCTOBER, 2022

As you probably know, the Inquiry ended last Friday after 4 days and now we’re waiting for the Inspector’s decision. This is expected in around 6 weeks’ time.

Due to time pressures, as yet we haven’t been able to acknowledge the generous donations made to CAGE and to sincerely thank all who have donated, spoken at the Inquiry, put up a poster, researched, demonstrated, written letters, or done anything else to support the campaign. A HUGE THANK YOU is also due to members of Dummer Parish Council, and Stafford Napier who all worked very hard to try to stop the warehouse complex development.

At the Inquiry Dummer Parish Council was represented by a barrister, Esther Drabkin-Reiter and a planning expert, Sue Ilman. Both made a strong case on landscape grounds for refusing the planning application as did Maria Miller MP, our local Ward Councillors Hannah Golding, Diane Taylor and County Councillors Juliet Henderson and Stephen Reid.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council was also represented at the Inquiry by a barrister and a planning expert who gave evidence to support the Council’s decision to refuse this planning application.

CAGE has been fighting this campaign since 2020 but without the generosity of so many people we would never have reached the final stage of a Public Inquiry. Thank you all so much.

This annotated photo gives an idea of the size of the proposed warehouse site on J7M3. CAGE, Dummer Parish Council and Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council are ALL opposed to it.

PUBLIC INQUIRY 18TH OCTOBER 2022 FROM 9 AM, Civic Offices, Basingstoke.

Demonstrate your objection to the Lidl warehouse development on J7M3 which will destroy the open countryside on the west side of Basingstoke FOREVER!!!!

Come along and join us outside the Council offices on the 18th October - let the Inspector see for himself how much YOU care about this opportunistic and catastrophic development - 1 enormous Lidl warehouse plus 2 others, almost 1 kilometre long and 30 metres high from the roadside, between the M3 and the A30 on open countryside. IF THIS GOES THROUGH THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 2,000 HGV MOVEMENTS EVERY 24 hours IN AND OUT OF THE SITE

Tell everyone you know please.

URGENT CAGE UPDATE!!!
Recently there was traffic havoc with aggressive behavior seen from drivers diverting through Dummer - the diversion was caused by a local road closure. Should the Inspector at the Planning Inquiry on 18th October approve the Lidl warehouse plans on Oakdown Farm, Dummer, there will be an extra 2,000 HGV (+ cars) movements in 24 hours, in and out of the site. If a blockage occurred on the M3 or A30 the level of chaos would be intolerable.
Dummer Parish Council (DPC) supported by CAGE has engaged a solicitor, barrister, and planning expert to convince the Inspector he should refuse the plans for the three warehouses.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN THE FIGHT TO STOP THIS DEVELOPMENT PLEASE DONATE TOWARDS THE £35,000 COSTS.

Bank details: Account name: Clean Air Green Environment,
Acc. No. 32150107, Sort code: 40-09-18 (HSBC).

Thank you very much. Call 07768-812882 for info.

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