REVISED plans for one of the largest proposed developments in Hart are shortly to be unveiled.

The updated plans for a new mini-town, named Hartland Village, will go on show to the public this month.

Developers St Edward homes, part of the Berkeley Group, submitted plans to build a new development at the former Pyestock site earlier this year.

Initial proposals for a potential residential development on the 135-acre site are as part of Hart District Council’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment.

This month’s exhibitions are the second this year, after the first public consultation was held in July.

The brownfield site was previously home to the National Gas Turbine Establishment, which was a vital facility in the development of aircraft jet engines in the post-war period.

Much of the facility was rendered useless at the turn of the millennium thanks to major advances in technology, and it was eventually decommissioned in 2000 and sold for redevelopment.

Since 2003, there have been many proposals, recognising the site’s importance as a secluded and well-screened brownfield site with good connections to nearby towns.

In 2009 the Prudential was granted planning permission at appeal by the then Secretary of State, to redevelop the site into a logistics park. The plans included the demolition of all but three buildings on site, construction of 126,216m2 of storage and distribution buildings and 800 heavy goods vehicle trips per 24 hour day.

Some of the plans proposed were implemented, such as improvements to local roads and junctions between the site and the M3.

St Edward Homes have now proposed the Pyestock site as being suitable to deliver around 1,500 homes in a range of sizes and styles, including both houses and apartments, with a variety of zones which would give the development a distinctive character and local identity.

The development would also create a new community building, local shops and potentially a new primary school.

They highlight how there are key opportunities such as the seclusion of the site allowing the opportunity to deliver new homes with limited visual impact on neighbours or existing communities nearby and the potential to improve site drainage and create a sustainable system that reduces flood risk to surrounding waterways.

It also carries the possibility of improving cycle and pedestrian links to surrounding communities.

The timescale for the development currently looks towards 2018, while in the mean time between winter 2016 and autumn of 2017 there will be further design work and preparation of a planning application, the submission of the final planning application to Hart District Council, which will lead to the likely determination of the application by autumn next year.

The proposed development has been well received by MPs, surrounding parishes and campaign groups, with the latter highlighting how a sustainable brownfield development can ease the pressure on smaller villages and parishes in the area such as Hook and Winchfield where large developments had previously been proposed.

Winchfield has been targeted as a potential site for a ‘new town’ in order for Hart to reach its housing goal in the delayed Local Plan.

However the emergence of the Pyestock plans have somewhat eased the pressure.

MP Ranil Jayawardena and Secretary of State for Defence, Michael Fallon, visited the site in May and came out in support of brownfield development, as well as highlighting how the MOD can assist with projects such as the Hartland Village development.

Mr Fallon commented: “It’s good to see sites like Pyestock being put forward for development.

“HM Government is ensuring that brownfield regeneration is central to local areas building new homes. A new ‘brownfield register’ is included in the Housing and Planning Bill, which will ensure that development is prioritised on brownfield sites rather than at the expense of the countryside.

“The MoD is committed to helping more people own their own homes.”

The first exhibition for the updated plans will take place on Saturday November 12, at the Harlington Centre in Fleet, and will be open to the public from 10am-4pm.

The second will be held on Monday, November 14, at Farnborough Community Centre from 3:30pm to 8:30pm.

For more information visit the wesite www.hartlandvillage.co.uk.