AFTER losing a number of recent planning appeals, Bordon councillors finally have something to celebrate after winning their battle to safeguard a piece of land which will play a part in the economic regeneration of the town.

Local elected representatives expressed their delight at the news that housing developersÕ plans to built around 30 homes at High View, which lies adjacent to Devon Road, were thrown out by a planning inspector.

Instead the inspector said that the land should be used, as planned, for the regeneration of the Chalet Hill and High Street.

As previously reported by The Herald, the appeal was lodged after East Hampshire District Council refused planning permission for Premier Properties Limited and Flavia Estates Limited.

High View has been consistently allocated by the council for business, commercial or office uses and, it is hoped, will be a key site in the regeneration of the shopping area.

The appellants had tried to argue that the land had been set aside for far too long with little interest and that it was time to abandon unrealistic dreams in favour of housing proposals.

But the district council, with the help of Whitehill Town Council, successfully convinced the inspector that a development ban on the site had hindered earlier regeneration plans and that the arrival of Tesco brings with it fresh hopes of interest in the site.

In her report, inspector Susan Simpson says: ÒI note that the site has been set aside for its allocated uses for approximately 16 years and has been included in two previous local plans.

ÒAlthough there were several reasons advanced as to why the area had not been developed before now, it appears to me that the approval of the Tesco store and the formation of an access to the eastern side of the A325 represents a major step forward.

ÒMoreover, as the retail store is only in the course of being constructed, I consider it is too early to say that it would not act as a catalyst for other appropriate schemes to come forward on the allocated area of land.

ÒThere is now a reasonable prospect of the council achieving its longstanding objective.

ÒThe town council supported such an objective and was able to provide information at the hearing that the commercial facilities serving this community remain modest in comparison with comparable populations.

ÒI have formed the view that the approval of the appeal site for housing would fragment, and result in a significant loss of an area of, this allocated land that would seriously prejudice the achievement of a comprehensive and effective scheme to secure an environmental improvement to the area and an enhanced and substantive commercial centre for Whitehill/Bordon.Ó

However she threw out arguments that the houses would have a terrible impact of trees and greenery in the area as well as on the local road network.

News that the district and town council were successful in fighting off the housing plans came as a great relief this week.

In the past the councils have been unsuccessful in justifying their opposition to homes at RE Lines, St Lucia Lodge and Whitehill Chase, all which were to be used for BordonÕs economic regeneration.

However, unlike these applications, the High View one was successful because the plans for the land were already adopted while plans for RE Lines, St Lucia and Whitehill Chase were laid down in a revised local plan which has not yet been adopted as official policy.

At MondayÕs meeting, Michael Watkinson, the chairman of the town councilÕs planning and amenities committee, expressed his joy that the Ònonsense applicationÓ had been dismissed.

ÒIt would have been a terrible decision,Ó he said.

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

ÒHopefully we wonÕt get any more nonsense applications of that nature again.Ó