PROPOSALS for a 185-home development on the Chandos Lodge site received an airing last week, when Persimmon Homes representatives made a presentation to Alton Town Council. If all goes to plan, these proposals will be put to East Hampshire District Council planners for consideration before Christmas so that work can begin by late spring. The aim is to complete, within two-and-a-half years, a development of two, three and four bedroom, two to four storey dwellings on the 6.45 hectare site, located to the rear of The Grange Hotel, at the eastern end of the town. This is a baseline site, earmarked for development in the second review of EHDC's Local Plan. The principle requirement of the development brief for the site, approved in March this year, is for a mixed housing scheme of at least 150 dwellings, to include 35 per cent affordable housing, Vehicular access is to be from the A339/London Road frontage, there is to be buffer planting along the boundary with the main Alton to Waterloo railway line, and the retention of the local gap between Alton and Holybourne as public open space. The proposed increase to 185 dwellings on the site is said to be in line with a density requirement of 35 to the hectare laid down by recent government planning guideline PPG3. According to planning consultant Stephen Brown, the aim of the exercise will be to provide a "sense of place" based on the character and identity of the existing settlement by creating a green development comprising four character areas. These will include: l a lower-density bespoke development adjacent to and within the Conservation Area and adjacent to Anstey Lane, to respect the surrounding character l a transitional area to the rear of the conservation area with a mix of landscape, detached and semi-detached properties l a medium density development comprising smaller units in the form of continuous frontage, predominantly terraces and semi- detached dwellings l larger blocks of flats to provide a transition of built form from the employment uses of the south east trading estate on the other side of the railway line. This form will assist in providing a noise barrier to the development. The affordable element of 65 dwellings will be pepper potted throughout the site. Parking will be provided at approximately two spaces per dwelling. According to Mr Brown, this represents a determined effort by Persimmon not to go down the route of the Treloar Heights estate where the developer attempted to "design out" the car, creating undesirable parking problems. There is to be provision on the Chandos Lodge site of 2.32 hectares of public open space which will secure the local gap between Alton and Holybourne. Access has been one of the main bones of contention. The draft brief had considered three potential access points at Anstey Road, London Road and via a roundabout at Holybourne junction. London Road is the favoured option and, taking on board public comment, is the one that Persimmon is actively pursuing. The emerging proposal will see access to the site onto London Road, to form a staggered cross roads with the Holybourne village junction to the north and Eggar's School to the west. A revised layout will see the installation of four sets of traffic lights controlling all three access points and traffic along the main road, with a one-way system to the school, leaving via the village. There will be new right hand turn lanes serving the junctions, but the layout will see the removal of the current slip road into Holybourne. Mr Brown said there was also a proposal to extend the cycle path from the Holybourne junction to link up with the existing cycle lane from Anstey Park into Alton. This may be achieved by widening the footpath and/or by taking the cycle route along the edge of Anstey Park. The presentation to Alton Town Council formed part of the developer's commitment to community consultation which started in July this year with a public engagement session at Eggar's School, followed by a presentation to EHDC planners. Since then the proposal has undergone changes to the design and layout of the scheme and has been subject to revised access plans. Issues raised from these meetings included the need for assurance that the proposals would not lead to increased traffic and/or queuing problems in London Road; the relocation of parking courts to make them more accessible; and the need for occupier privacy combined with a determination to "design out crime". This is to be achieved by, for example, doing away with rear alleyway access and having buildings overlooking public open spaces. During the development process, the intention would be to create a hardstanding area for construction traffic on the "gap" space in the region of the children's play area. Expecting to become the eventual owner responsible for maintenance of this area of open space, Alton Town Council has asked to be involved in the eventual layout of the area and with the selection of any playground equipment.
