17/11/06: An unprecedented 2,500 objections, MISTRUST and the revised plan is due soon

The Pru will no doubt try to convince us that they have made significant concessions to mitigate our concerns as part of submitting their new plan.

Here is further detail on a few of our concerns about what the Developer’s agents have said, including their misleading exhibition (which did not have a picture of a HGV or warehouse loading bay):   

Massive over development: they say “the development will not detract from the rural character and open nature of the site”!! Their current plan would have a 100% increase in concrete floorspace within massive intrusive mega sheds plus an equal area of hardstanding. Originally they planned mega sheds to tower 85 foot above Ively Road and remove over 1,000,00 sq ft of woodland

Pyestock: barely visible from Ively Road

  An example of a smaller mega shed than the largest planned for Pyestock (there would be additional mega sheds at the Pyestock 24 x 7 mega depot!)

Impact on local highway, they say “is beneficial” and want to spend £3.5M to minimise impact by adding traffic lights and a roundabout

How can a continuous HGV generating mega depot avoid extending and re-defining the peak traffic congestion? Will traffic lights and a roundabout really be of benefit to local residents? They have said there would be no traffic impact in the peak hour periods and then modified their statement to include HGV movements

    Continuous HGVs will not be beneficial

Strategic Gap will be maintained: they say “the integrity of the protected ‘green buffer’ between Farnborough and Fleet will be maintained” relying on a quote from Hampshire County Council (HCC)

However, they adjusted their plans as a result of consultation with a Hart Official who stated ‘the strategic gap will cease to function’ (which was after HCC submitted their quote!)

Twenty four hrs/day x 7 days/week operation: they say “the development will have minimum impact and provide a boost to the local economy.”

The 24 x 7 operations will have a relentless impact on our Quality of Life and the character of our area. The local economy is already overheated with low unemployment and our infrastructure is in critical deficit.

Residential areas are too close: they say “the development would conflict with new housing ‘i.e. HGV traffic and 24-hour operation, and major noise and other environmental issues”

We can substantiate significantly higher HGV movements from smaller mega depots than the ones proposed, so all the issues they highlight are a concern to us! Also, they have said:

Understated Environmental Assessment: among many misleading statements they say night time noise would be imperceptible for the majority of us and no noise impacts are predicted from on site activity.

A recent independent report confirms night time noise could be well above the current level and the developer only considered one single lorry movement! The existing engine test facility will continue to operate

Sunday Times announces Britain’s Biggest Building: they publicly denied ever considering a single unit of 1,250,000 sq ft on the site

 
We revealed their 1,250,000 sq ft mega shed option by providing their drawing, brochure and website content to prove it! Now they are limiting the largest shed to 860,000 sq ft, which is 7 x the size of B&Q Farnborough and over 1/3 larger than the largest in their submitted plans. But, they said they reduced the size of the largest shed?!

Tesco expected to blight our lives: they will not confirm Tesco

But, the Trade Press have been reporting Tesco as the main customer since 2004. Tesco are known to regularly flout planning regulations and their Thurrock depot only 1/3 of the area of Pyestock generates a HGV movement per minute x 24 x 7!

These are only some of the statements that have not stood up to examination but help spell out our mistrust of the developers’ intentions.