A REVISED proposal to build two “massive” warehouses on a known flood plain south of Wilsom Farm in Alton has attracted a whopping 340 public objections, backed by strong objection from councillors.

The application, by KMN (Alton) Ltd, is for the construction of two employment premises for B1 (c) light industry and B8 storage use, one with a floor space of 50,000 square feet and the other of 25,000 square feet, on a near four-acre site on Wilsom Road (B3004), adjoining the neighbouring Delta, Omega and Riverside business parks and butting up to the A31 bypass embankment.

To be known as Alpha Park, access would be via a new entrance off Wilsom Road, to include the construction of a bridge over the Caker Stream, which runs through the site.

Currently used for grazing, the proposed development area is part of a larger eight-acre parcel of land classified by the Environment Agency as Flood Zone 3 (high risk) immediately adjacent to the Caker Stream, which flows along the western edge of the site, and Flood Zone 2 (medium risk) elsewhere.

The intention is to level the site to facilitate the development and to introduce an eight-metre buffer along the stream bank to support retention of biodiversity and address maintenance and flooding issues.

With this in mind, determination of the original outline proposal, as put forward in January this year, was delayed to enable the applicant to enter into discussions with the Environment Agency over how to try to resolve the tricky flooding issues.

The application has now been resubmitted, the only real change appearing to be the withdrawal of B2 heavy industrial use.

In January, the application sparked a strong ‘Say No!’ protest by people concerned that by building on the Caker Stream flood plain it could cause serious flooding to businesses downstream and flood homes upstream, as water backs up and run-off adds to the stream as it makes its way downhill to join the River Wey on Mill Lane.

There are fears also that the development of warehousing on the site will lead to a round-the-clock operation with noise and light pollution, and heavy HGV traffic “thundering” through the town day and night, passing homes on Wilsom Road before clogging up the busy Spitalhatch junction and travelling along Mill Lane to join the A31.

And there is concern, backed by the Alton Natural History Society, over the impact on wildlife on the site.

According to East Hampshire planners, these objections still stand for the revised application. As do the objections registered by Alton Town Council whose planning committee has reinforced its original concerns, citing an “undesirable and unacceptable form of overdevelopment” where the form and height of the proposed buildings would be out of keeping with adjoining properties.

In addition, councillors have real concern over the impact of the proposed development on the surrounding road network, over building on land that is prone to flooding, and that it would have an adverse impact on the character of the area, and on the gateway to the South Downs National Park.

They have also expressed concern not only at the lack of public consultation but over the lack of reference within the application to the Alton Transport Study, recently commissioned and published by Hampshire County Council and East Hampshire District Council, and which makes reference to the current inadequacies of the junction at Spitalhatch junction, which would be forced to cope with an increase in HGV movements associated with the Alpha Park warehouse operation.

Nor is there reference to proposed future development of a link to and from the B3004 to the A31 at this point, which would alleviate the need for vehicles accessing the Wilsom Road business parks and/or wishing to link up with the A325 at Sleaford to drive through the town.

Campaigners point out that, having granted planning permission at the end of last year for a solar farm off the B3004 on the Wordlham side of the A31 flyover, it would appear that neither developments would be required to contribute to such a project.

Identified as employment land in the district council’s joint core strategy (local plan) but sitting outside the settlement boundary for Alton, the site is technically within the adjoining parish of Worldham whose parish council views this as “an entirely unsuitable development” for this semi-rural, part-residential area.

Citing concerns over flooding, parish councillors point out that it is apparent “from the size and design of the units that their main purpose is for storage and distribution” which, they say, will push significant numbers of additional HGVs onto the already congested roads around Spitalhatch and the narrow B3004 through East Worldham.

A parish council spokesman added: “If this application is given the go ahead, the cumulative effect with the recently approved solar farm will be to create a one-mile long, largely continuous corridor of industrial and commercial development from Alton station into East Worldham. This is not what Alton nor Worldham needs or wants.

“This is an attractive, greenfield site in a sensitive and strategic location, an important green gateway into Alton and to the South Downs National Park.

“It will completely change the character of this area.”