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Showpeople’s sites on agenda (From Andover Advertiser)
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Showpeople’s sites on agenda
2:43pm Friday 5th February 2010
PLANNING councillors have backed one site for showpeople’s accommodation at Picket Piece but rejected another at Thruxton Down.
Members of Test Valley Borough Council’s northern area planning committee were told last week that a countywide assessment showed that Test Valley needed to provide a further 10 plots by 2016.
The application at Picket Piece for four plots next to an existing showpeople’s site, was strongly opposed by its immediate neighbour, Mr John Baldwin, who lives at The Firs.
He was particularly concerned about landscaping proposals and traffic.
A spokesman for the applicants, Mr and Mrs J Wall, said one of the main problems with a previous application had been landscaping and he believed the new proposals had produced a satisfactory solution.
But Cllr Rod Bailey said: “There are going to be a lot of vehicles turning out of the site and going through very narrow roads, so I will not be voting for it.”
Cllr Len Gates said: “It is an improvement on the previous application but the screening with The Firs could have been better.”
The committee, however, delegated permission to the head of planning subject to a legal agreement on a contribution to improving ‘modes of transport’.
Meanwhile, an application by Mr and Mrs Anthony Connors-Squires for a showpeople’s site with three plots at Thruxton Down was rejected by the committee mainly on landscaping grounds.
There was strong opposition from local people with 46 objecting letters and emails including concerns about lack of nearby facilities, landscaping, location and highways.
Members heard the only difference between this and a previously rejected application was a proposal for additional landscape planting.
Lt Col Millner-Williams, chairman of Thruxton Parish Council, said: “This would indelibly alter the nature of the village. The overriding need in Thruxton Down has not been demonstrated and it is simply the wrong place for this application.”
A Lambourne equine vet added that the neighbouring Racedown House stables could no longer continue if the application was granted.
The committee concluded that the proposals by the applicants did not overcome the problem with landscaping.
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