Basingstoke & Dean Borough Council Manydown Overview Committee Meeting

Councillor Freeman sent her apologies.

Councillor G James was appointed as Vice-Chair for the municipal year 2022/23.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no urgent matters.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16^th February 2022 were confirmed by the committee as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Propertyintroduced the report which provided an overview of the Manydown Programme and an update on the progress of the Manydown North and Manydown South projects.

The report outlined how the Southern Manydown project prepared for a submission to the draft plan stage (Regulation 18) of the Local Plan Update scheduled for summer/autumn 2022. 

The Local Planning Authority had now issued its Draft Local Plan Policies which included Southern Manydown as a shortlisted site for allocation SS3.4.  It stated that Southern Manydown provided an opportunity to deliver a strategic-scale sustainable development that would provide for a significant proportion of the borough’s housing needs, within this Plan period and beyond.

With regards to Manydown North the planning strategy proposal created a three-tier system through the outline planning application conditions. The Development Manager was now preparing to submit to the Local Planning Authority a series of site-wide strategies and frameworks (Tier 1).  Those high-level documents would look to formalise and add to a number of key aspects from the outline application materials. The documents would set the strategic site-wide principles in relation to matters such as layout, land use, character and appearance.

The site-wide strategies and frameworks would be followed by the submission of key phase documents (Tier 2) for each phase of development which would include the design codes/guides for that phase and a delivery plan setting out the approach to bringing forward development for that part of the scheme.

The key phase documents were a material consideration in the determination of subsequent detailed scheme design (Tier 3) which included reserved matters planning applications and discharge of relevant conditions within each phase. The subsequent reserved matters applications would provide further information on the detailed design solutions for individual buildings.

The Development Manager had commissioned consultancy team PlanIt to develop proposals for the countryside park, which aimed to realise leisure and recreational benefits for local communities while enhancing the biodiversity and ecology of the site.

The Manydown Development Vehicle LLP (MDV LLP) continued to operate under the Interim Business Plan, which formed part of the legal contract documentation entered into on 28 July 2020. The Interim Business Plan would be superseded once the Overarching Business Plan (OBP) and Phase 1 Business Plans were finalised and approved which was anticipated for approval by the Cabinet (BDBC) and Executive Member for Policy and Resources (HCC) in Summer 2022. 

He confirmed that the Committee would receive a confidential briefing session on the key elements of the Overarching Business Plan and Phase 1 Business Plans in July to enable their comments to inform the consideration of the Business plans by the Cabinet and Executive Member for Policy and Resources (HCC) in Summer 2022.

The councils were working with Urban&Civic to finalise the approach to the land drawdown and once settled this would be confidentially shared with the Committee.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on behalf of the councils, when it entered in to the 999 year Lease with the Manydown Company, subsequently entered into a leaseback arrangement to enable the Manydown Company to continue to farm the land.  The councils, in agreement with MDV LLP, served notice on 3 September 2021 on the Manydown Company for vacant possession of the development site.  This would now enable the councils to secure vacant possession of the development site by 3 September 2022.

The committee discussed the report and made the following comments which included:

·         Confusion was expressed as to where the Secondary School would be located on the development.  The Chair advised that she would contact Hampshire County Council to establish their intended location of the Secondary School.

·         Assurance was requested that all information brought forward in a key phase would conform to the parameter plans which formed part of the outline planning permission.

·         Pleased that the bid sought an additional £0.74M of revenue grant and £0.36M of capital grant to assist with early works on access junctions to the north of the south Manydown area.  It was acknowledged that In May 2022 it was announced that £0.3M of revenue grant and £0.36M of infrastructure grant funding had been awarded to the councils from the Garden Towns capacity fund.

·         Requested that there be a cohesive Mass Rapid Transport network to connect Manydown to the town centre.

·         Recognised that the North Hampshire Hospital Trust were considering various sites for a potential Hospital one of which would be in the vicinity of Southern Manydown.

The Chair invited David Ainsworth, Barry Crabb and Rebecca Smith to address the Committee with their presentation.

Barry Crabb advised that archaeological work had been focused on the site junctions and the remains of Anglo Saxon buildings had been discovered and the Basingstoke Archeological and Historical Society had been invited on site to look at the finds.  The work was now concluding around the access sites, but archaeological investigation would continue and they would make a thorough and detailed assessment of any areas of interest.

Work had been ongoing on ground investigation to understand the chalk and clay across the site and looking at infiltration and potential road foundation designs.

There had been discussions involving utilities and getting contracts in place.  They had secured the provision of electric power for the whole site and progressed discussion with Thames Water of the foul drainage capacity and possible water supply.

The designs for the access junctions had been submitted in part for preliminary design review to Hampshire Highways to work towards a legal agreement (section 278 agreement).

Rebecca Smith addressed communication and engagement which involved various groups visiting the site in particular school children and the Basingstoke Archeological and Historical Society to share their discovery and history of the location.  She confirmed that the newsletter had been sent to 15,350 homes in March followed by the first e-letter which will keep people informed and encourage them to sign up to the social media channels.

David Ainsworth advised the objectives of the Countryside Park.  Their vision was creating both an ecosystem that would enhance the local ecology and bring new habitats, while providing an engaging new amenity for the local community.  To serve as a marketing device to attract housebuilders and homeowners, to provide a focal point for community volunteering and education.   To be commercially self-supporting through efficient design, productive land uses and strong management to establish a long-term robust proposition.

The committee discussed the presentation and made the following comments which included:

• Requested that the community’s facilities were developed early in the scheme.

• Thanked Rebecca Smith on her community engagement by attending various meetings with Councillors and residents.

• Important to keep the public rights of way and would like to see improvement with the connectivity from Rooksdown, Winklebury and Oakley.

• Encouraged that school children had been invited to the site as it was important to get them involved.

• With regards to the Park Hub there was a need to be careful not to overpromise and under deliver especially when we are reliant on commercial viability to deliver.

• The organisation that would have long-term responsibility of the Countyside Park should have an input so that it was realistically feasible and cost neutral.

• Community facilities need to be sustainable and require input from the Ward Councillors and residents.

• Workshop to be arranged by Urban&Civic with the Ward Councillors in relation to the Countyside Park in particular the community facilities.

• Requested for an updated plan with the proposed design and layout.

• Urban&Civic to arrange an ecology workshop or presentation open to the public to reassure the community with Paul Chester as the guest speaker.

• Impressed with the level of communication provided by Rebecca Smith especially on social media.  It was suggested that day to day information be posted on facebook to alleviate any concerns from residents when they see activity on site.

• Suggested that the regular updates the Ward Members receive from Rebecca Smith via email also be circulated to the Members of the Committee to keep them informed.

Resolved: That the Manydown Overview Committee:

·         notes the progress made on the Manydown Programme.

·          following review of the contents of the report, provides comments for the consideration of the Manydown Executive Committee as recorded above in the minutes

The Project Director confirmed the suggested work programme.

The committee noted the work programme.

The meeting ended at 8:20 pm.

Chairman