IN A surprise move, Lowsley Farm’s phase two application was deferred by East Hampshire District Council’s planning committee, following heated discussions during last Thursday’s meeting.

The majority of councillors voted in favour of the deferral, against the planning officer’s recommendation, stating the outline application for 175 additional houses constituted “sustainable development” and the “principle of development” could be accepted.

The application was brought forward by EHDC due to the termination of S106 developer’s contributions and the introduction of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), which will take effect today (Friday), for all relevant planning applications submitted on or after that date.

Only last month, parish councillors Michael Croucher and Trevor Maroney attended a meeting with EHDC’s developer contributions officer Alisdair Tweddle, outlining priority projects, which included land for sports pitches and facilities, a new skate park, allotments, community facilities, a social care centre for the elderly as well as a youth centre and improved wheelchair access at Liphook railway station, totalling costs of £3,246,000.

It was hoped, the planning committee would pass the Lowsley Farm proposal before the deadline, when developers’ contributions would have applied as outlined.

But because Bramshott and Liphook does not have a Neighbourhood Plan, CIL will be calculated at just 15 per cent, instead of 25 per cent on future applications.

During the meeting, councillors felt the application for an additional 175 homes should be decided purely on planning and not financial grounds – and they voiced their opinions loud and clear.

EHDC leader Ferris Cowper, who proposed the delay told The Herald: “I’m pleased the planning committee decided to defer the decision.

“As a trained planner, I find it incomprehensible a planning application for 330 dwellings can be submitted in Liphook, with no proposal for improvements to the roundabouts in The Square – when we know a great deal of the traffic generated will be school-bound in the rush-hour, and will bring the village to a complete standstill.

“The defence that two possible options were described by the developer Easterton’s, one of which might be effective, simply isn’t good enough.

“When consent is given, that’s it. End of story.

“On top of that, neither of the options was actually committed to by the developer. Further, Hampshire County Council’s highways officer agreed in fact the final solution might be neither of them.

“So, the planning committee hadn’t a clue about what it was supposed to be approving. I don’t find that acceptable, especially in the light of the potential effect on The Square in the school peak period.”

Mr Cowper added: “Then we have the sewage problem. With the site being well-known for frequent failures in the foul drainage system in heavy rain, with at times disgusting consequences, the standard delegated approach to develop a new sewage system was also not good enough.

“Normally and rightly, the council delegates sewage recommendations to Thames Water in conjunction with the developer.

“However local residents are putting up with unacceptable conditions today, never mind what might happen after another 330 dwellings are built.

“As a result, and exceptionally, I asked for the proposed sewage recommend- ation to be brought back to the planning committee for a full explanation and then approval – or otherwise, by members, in public.

“Much was made of the fact a similar application to this was refused on a previous occasion and the appeal will be heard shortly.

“As leader, I’ve always done everything I can to ensure good housing proposals move ahead quickly and that’s why our rate of housebuilding is almost 50 per cent higher than that required by the Government.

“But equally, I see it as an essential role for the council to oppose with great vigour, all bad applications for housing development.

“As usual, EHDC will defend all its decisions on appeal, regardless of the circumstances.”

District councillor Bill Mouland also spoke against the application. “I have twice spoken out against this scheme,” he said. “Once unsuccessfully over the ‘accident waiting to happen’ access arrangement, and once successfully on phase two, which is going to be the subject of an appeal.

“Since then, the ball game has moved on and a number of factors have come into play – not least the district council’s allocations plan and the remarks by a Government inspector that Lowsley Farm is a sound choice, meets the Joint Core Strategy requirement and is deliverable.

“I have to say I view Lowsley Farm as a considerable failure. A personal failure because I find myself no longer in a position to mount robust opposition, a failure by the planning authority which, in my view, has never properly engaged with the South Downs National Park Authority to promote the infinitely far better site at Bohunt Park, Portsmouth Road.

“The failure of the national park to grant permission for that site even though there was a two-to-one local majority in favour, and the failure by Bramshott and Liphook Parish Council – either to recognise the public’s wish or to get its act together over the provision of a Neighbourhood Plan.

“However, there are a number of points to which I would like to draw attention to even though some have been dismissed in prior discussions. The first is regarding the need for a relief road in Liphook, to take pressure off peak-time traffic in The Square. I note the county council has recently commissioned a study to assess the impacts of various developments on the village.

“The community has asked that the road running through Lowsley Farm is substantial enough to become part of that relief scheme should it ever become a reality.

“I have also asked on many occasions that the speed limit on Longmoor Road be extended to 40mph all the way to the junction with the A3.

“The only response I ever get is it would be unenforceable. However, it would be a considerable deterrent and I would urge the committee to ask for it. The highways authority is asking for a contribution of £1.3million developers’ contributions to fund transport improvements.

“I would suggest some of this be put towards sensible co-operation with the SDNPA to explore the possibility of a link road from the Lowsley roundabout across Foley Manor and Bohunt Manor to Station Road. MP Damian Hinds is hosting a meeting about this possibility on Friday – so it would be premature to dismiss it out of hand.

“I note also co-operation is being sought with Bohunt School over travel plans because of its proposed sixth form. It is extremely disappointing, however that, yet again, this school will not benefit from the £1.7million developers’ contributions which is to be provided for education.

“It’s all due to go to the infant and junior schools because they are in the Local Education Authority and Bohunt is an academy – a very successful one.

“This issue of academies not benefiting from housing developments needs to be urgently addressed.

“As for the other community benefits, I applaud the contribution – albeit a tiny one – to Liphook in Bloom and also the suggestion of a £550,000 sports pavilion which will help Liphook United Football Club with its dream of a new facility.

“The fact that the only sites being mooted are in the national park may make this harder to bring to fruition than it looks on paper.”

Phase one of 155 house at Lowsley was granted permission in December 2012, while phase two was first refused by EHDC in February 2015 – Easteron have already lodged an appeal hearing which is scheduled for June.