A DEVELOPER has appealed against East Hampshire District Council’s (EHDC) refusal to give the go ahead to a its highly controversial application to build two “massive” warehouses on a flood plain south of Wilsom Farm.

KMN (Alton) Ltd’s proposal, which sparked a strong Say No! protest by residents, was for the construction of Class B1 (c) and B8 employment premises on Caker Stream Meadow, together with a new vehicular and pedestrian access from the B3004 (Wilsom Road), and modifications to the B3004 to allow for the site access to be constructed.

Having attracted 348 public objections and strong objections from Worldham Parish and Alton Town Council, the application was refused by EHDC planners on January 20 because it “failed to demonstrate that the development would not be at an unacceptable risk of flooding or that it would not lead to an increase to flood risk elsewhere.”

Furthermore, it was felt that the proposal would have an adverse impact on the proposed A31/B3004 strategic improvement scheme, as identified in the Alton Transport Study, to provide slip-road access and egress at this point on to and from the A31.

Nor did it allow for HGVs to exit the site without encroaching into the deceleration lane in Wilsom Road.

It also gave inadequate consideration to existing private access points, planners said. In addition, the applicant had failed, they said, to take into account how the development of the site would affect the Montecchio Way/Mill Lane junction and the staggered junction at Wilsom Road/Ashdell Road/Paper Mill Lane/Mill Lane in the absence of the improvement scheme and mitigation strategy proposed under a Tesco proposal that is unlikely to come to fruition.

In conclusion, the council stated: “At this stage, and based on the indicative drawings submitted, the council cannot be satisfied that the scale, bulk and mass of the development can be accommodated on the site without resulting in harm to the character of the local area and its landscape.”

The appeal is to be determined by public hearing, details of which are yet to be released.

Anyone who wishes to comment, modify or withdraw a previous representation, can do so on the councils planning portal at: acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk.

Written representations should be sent to: Judith Birch, The Planning Inspectorate, Room 3/N Kite, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6PN.

They must be received by September 13. Reference APP/M1710/W/17/3177063 should be quoted.