Those of us who were delighted that the inspector who conducted the Local Plan Enquiry decided the fields along Stoneham Lane within the city boundaries should remain part of the strategic gap (Inspector’s Report para 3.9.7) will be dismayed that the City Council has not accepted this. Removal of the land at Stoneham from the strategic gap separating Southampton and Eastleigh is still in the draft of the Local Plan (Local Plan, Revised Deposit para 3.25).
You might have supposed that the Public Enquiry was held to settle such matters and the Inspector’s report would be the end of it. But no. Her report makes recommendations to the Council. The Council decides what actions it proposes to take with respect to these recommendations.
The inspector had disagreed with the Council’s view that only land north of the motorway was necessary for a strategic gap or that the motorway itself provided a major barrier. The Council are reaffirming their view and in support say that this accords with the then Secretary of State for the Environment’s decision, taken in 1994, that the use of this land as part of a football and leisure stadium complex could take place and still leave sufficient land between Southampton and Eastleigh to achieve the strategic gap objective of preventing coalescence between areas. He acknowledged that it was the area north of the M27 that really created and maintained the separation of Southampton from Eastleigh.
Representations on the proposed modifications to the Local Plan can be made up to 1st August (changed from 26th July). The documents can be seen at www.southampton.gov.uk/environment. Other places include the Local Housing Office in Parkville Road and our local libraries of Portswood and Burgess Road. They also have the forms on which the objections should be made. Links to all the documents have been placed below.
FORM FOR OBJECTING TO OR SUPPORTING PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS
TO THE CITY OF SOUTHAMPTON LOCAL PLAN REVIEW
by 1st AUGUST 2005
(49.21 kb Pdf document)
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/images/Local%20Plan%20Rep%27%20comment%20sheet_tcm9-99237.pdf
The Inspector’s Report:
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/environment/localdevelopmentplans/inspectors-report.asp
Statement of Southampton City Council’s Response to the Inspector’s
Recommendations
(2141.08 kb Pdf document)
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/images/Statement%20of%20SCC%20Response%20to%20Inspector%27s%20Rec_June%202005_tcm9-99236.pdf
Local Plan, Revised Deposit Version
(1055.4 kb Pdf document)
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/images/Local_Plan_Doc_tcm9-72042.pdf
Local Plan Home Page
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/environment/localdevelopmentplans/localplan/default.asp