TOWN councillors have made a sensational U-turn on their stance over controversial plans to move a long-established Petersfield business to greenfield land on The Causeway. They have now opted to "cautiously support" JB Corrie's proposal to move from Frenchman's Road to land at the southern entrance to the town. The decision comes just a month after they made an initial decision to object to the fencing company's plan to relocate and build its headquarters next to a desperately needed 18-unit enterprise centre. At a meeting of Petersfield Town Council's planning committee on Tuesday evening, members decided to give the scheme the thumbs up after being satisfied that there were no other sites in the town which could meet the company's needs. And although they decided in March to reject the scheme – on the grounds that the proposed site was not earmarked for commercial development in the Local Plan – they highlighted the critical need for small start-up industrial units within the town. Chris Jenner said: "This is a difficult one. There are arguments for and against, but what swings it for me is the enterprise centre which this council has expressed its wish for over the last 10 years. "Also, it is next to what can only be described as a ramshackle set of old sheds. "We have lost so many employment sites within Petersfield, and we are gradually eroding all of our employment spaces. "I would like us to support this plan. It is a close run thing, but I think we should cautiously support it." JB Corrie, which has been in Petersfield since 1946 and employs 60 people, wants to provide a state- of-the-art new home on two acres of the four-acre site. Beside it would be the enterprise centre, offering small units for new businesses. But the project also hinges on Corrie getting planning permission to redevelop its current home in Frenchman's Road with a mix of 52 flats and town houses, including 18 affordable homes. The plans were a joint venture with agents for the landowner of the site, White Young Green and Forelle Estates, which specialises in building and running enterprise centres. However, the ambitious plan has been heavily criticised by residents on The Causeway and in neighbouring Weston, who fear building on the site would lead to flooding in the nearby stream, traffic chaos and noise pollution from the industrial units. They are also concerned that the development would be an eyesore at the entrance to the town. At Tuesday's meeting, Vaughan Clarke warned that building on the site could pave the way for more development in the picturesque green belt area. Although he was "all for extra industrial sites", he said he was aware of a number of other proposals that were in the pipeline in and around the southern part of The Causeway. "It might open the gate for all sorts of development on the edge of the town. "Other than that I will be supporting it," he told the committee. But Linda Daubney pointed out that more and more industry and commerce appeared to be uprooting from the centre of Petersfield. "It worries me that so much business is leaving the town," she said. Earlier in the meeting, Corrie managing director Hugh Kennedy and company representatives said that their search for alternative sites had been unsuccessful. There were no suitable sites in the Bedford Road trading estate, councillors were told, while the former home of Estee Lauder on Frenchman's Road was also unavailable. Land at Buckmore Farm was also ruled out. "We have no available sites in the town other than the one we are looking at," said Mr Kennedy. Not all councillors changed their minds after being presented with evidence that The Causeway site was the only suitable land for relocation. George Watkinson said his view remained unchanged and that the site was not set aside for industrial use in the Local Plan. l The final decision on Corrie's move will now not be made until June at the earliest, it was revealed on Tuesday. The matter was due to be discussed and a decision made at East Hampshire District Council's south planning committee on Tuesday, May 1. But planning officers have delayed the agenda item as more time is needed to process documentation sent in by the developer in response to questions posed by the district council at a presentation earlier this year. It is now likely that the application will be considered on June 7 at EHDC's Penns Place headquarters.
