This area of North Hampshire is an ancient and very precious landscape with unique characteristics which is why people have chosen to live in North Hampshire for the natural beauty of the arable fields, woodland, rivers and canals and green corridors that protect wildlife. The proposed development consists of 5 enormous warehouses, 20-30 metres high, that will blight the landscape and ruin the view from all viewing angles. This ancient area of North-East Hampshire will no longer be able to claim to be a rural landscape.

destroying unique evironmental habitats

Whilst the developer downplays the environmental aspect of this site, it is important to realise there are increasingly fewer open areas of land like this in this area and once developed will be destroyed forever. It also borders onto and feeds into extremely sensitive habitats that will be directly threatened. These include;

• Several streams and waterways that run through or close to the proposed development. These feed into the nearby River Whitewater which is a very rare and environmentally unique chalk stream – with only about 200 chalk streams left in the world, most of them in southern England which makes them all the more special. The runoff from the acres of concrete used by thousands of dirty diesel lorries and possible warehouse spills directly threatens this unique environment.

• The development presents a significant increase in the risk of flooding. This site is already designated to be in Flood Zone 3 on the UK Governments Flood Risk website with ”a high probability of flooding from rivers”. These fields are often covered in large pools after heavy rain. Covering the entire area in concrete will make local flooding even worse.

• Removal of 80 acres of good quality agricultural land from food production – currently used to grow potatoes, cereals and a wide range of other crops that contribute to the countries food security.  

• Destruction of wildlife habitat where currently deer, pheasants, badgers, newts, herons and other species of wildlife graze freely.

TRAFFIC

This development would create an enormous increase in road traffic on all roads leading to the site – the development company states in excess of 12,000 vehicle movements between 7 am and 7pm, seven days a week, with a “significant number” being HGVs: 

• This level of traffic would impact all roads around North Warnborough, Odiham, Hook, and further afield on routes from the M4 to Junction 5 of the M3, along the A 287 to Farnham, and on the B3349 to Alton and beyond to the A 31 and A32.

• It would also necessitate major alterations to Junction 5 – costing at least £100m.

• Widening of the A287 dual carriageway to three lanes.

• Complete redesign of the roundabout leading to the bypass costing several million pounds.

• Increased congestion in surrounding villages if vehicles seek to avoid obstructions at Junction 5.

• 24-hour site noise and light pollution caused by manoeuvring heavy vehicles.

• Parking and fuelling for 200 cars together with a refreshment area - in effect a new motorway service station.

Flood risk map from the Environment Agency showing how part of the proposed development site is in flood zone 3 ”with a high probability of flooding”