Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment – SHL041 – Imac Systems, Fleet Confidential Draft - Version 1.1 – April 2015

Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 1  

High Level Site Assessment Proforma Site Reference SHL041 Site Name Imac Systems Parish Fleet Site Address Imac Systems Ltd, Upper Street, Fleet, Hants, GU51 3PE

Capacity Assessment and Categorisation Site Size (ha) 0.05ha Estimated Capacity 6 Comments on capacity At the baseline density of 40 dph, this site would yield only 2 dwellings and fall below threshold. However, the Council have

estimated a capacity of 6 flats (120 dph) and that has ben used for the purpose of this assessment.

Housing Strategy Category(s) Strategy 1 – Settlement Focus Land Supply Category Category A – land within existing urban areas Key to Site Assessments: Site Assessment Assessment Criteria Assessment comments Coloured

assessment Accessibility to Employment and services

o Bus Stop: (Fleet Road, service number; 72) 0.2 km o Railway Station: (Fleet) 1.6 km o Employment Centre: (Fleet Town Centre) 0.2 km o Public Open Space: (Calthorpe Park) 0.5 km o Health Facility: (Branksomewood Healthcare Centre) 0.4 km o Primary School: (Heatherside Junior School) 0.6 km. o Secondary school: (Court Moor School) 1.3 km. o Supermarket: (Waitrose, Fleet) 0.1 km.

Infrastructure provision

• Schools: There is a projected (2018) deficit for 3% for Infant/Primary schools in the Fleet area. This takes into account the planned 1FE expansion of Church Crookham Junior School. Therefore additional housing not already planned for will exacerbate the deficit. All Saints Junior School, and Tavistock Infants have each undergone recent expansion. For secondary schools the projected (2018) surplus capacity in the Fleet area is 9%.

• Retail: The most recent evidence found that there is no pressing need to increase convenience and

comparison floorspace. However, some of Fleetʼs supermarkets are overtrading (inc. Waitrose) and there is a

No overriding constraint to development of the site Constraint requiring further detailed assessment Major constraint undermining suitability of site

Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment – SHL041 – Imac Systems, Fleet Confidential Draft - Version 1.1 – April 2015

Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 2  

modest deficit in convenience floorspace. Therefore, additional housing, not already planned for will increase the need to expand retail floorspace (convenience and comparison) in Fleet.

• Health: Richmond Surgery (Fleet) has been identified in a previous PCT Estates Plan as having potential for

improvement. Any additional housing not already planned for will exacerbate any deficiencies at that surgery. • Transport (road): From the available evidence, there are several road/junction improvements in close

proximity to the site, including the proposed upgrade of the Reading Road (South)/Connaught Road junction. In addition, the latest available HCC Transport Statement (project schedule) indicates that the other junctions on Reading Road (South) in central Fleet require improvement and this need could be exacerbated by development on this site.

• Transport (other): Stagecoach has recently reorganised several bus routes in Hart, and this has reduced the

level of bus service for this site with the end of the routing of the 30 from Fleet to Odiham and North Warnborough via Crookham Village. The only regular bus service within walking distance of the site is the 72, which runs from Farnborough to Reading via Fleet. The HCC Transport Statement notes a wide range of improvements required in the cycle path infrastructure of Fleet and also the on-going improvements required at Fleet Railway Station.

• Green Infrastructure: The Hart Infrastructure Delivery Schedule highlights two strategic projects within close

proximity to the site and for which development could help to address this deficit. These are the replacement Hart Leisure Centre at Hitches Lane and the Hitches Lane Country Park improvements.

There is a lack of provision in certain types of infrastructure in the area and development on the site will only increase the pressure on existing services. It is unlikely that the site is of sufficient size to provide the supporting infrastructure onsite.

Current Use and Relevant Planning History

Current use is as a small office building with a warehouse and car parking. No planning history found.

Nature Conservation Site is within the 5km Thames Basin Heaths SPA Zone of Influence. It is likely that a site of this small scale could be within the capacity of the Hitches Lane SANG to mitigate its potential impact on the TBH SPA. If this proves not to be the case, any development at the site would require contributions for the provision of appropriate SANGs. There are no nature conservation constraints on or in close proximity the site.

Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment – SHL041 – Imac Systems, Fleet Confidential Draft - Version 1.1 – April 2015

Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 3  

Minerals Resources The Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan Policies Map indicates that there are no areas within the site that are subject to minerals safeguarding.

Landscape Not applicable as this site is located in an area designated as urban townscape. Summary Assessment: The site marks the transition between the town centre uses to the west and the residential areas of central Fleet to the east. Therefore, the change of use from employment to residential need not necessarily harm local character. However, if the site were to be developed to a particularly high density, for example, with more than two storeys, this may conflict with the low-density family housing character to the east.

Agricultural Land The site is located on land classified as ʻurban landʼ.

Heritage Assets There are no heritage assets on or in close proximity to this site.

Water resources and quality

There are no Groundwater Source Protection Zones or licensed water abstraction points in close proximity to the site.

Air Quality There are not believed to be any Air Quality Management Areas in close proximity to this site. On the basis of evidence seen, none of the surrounding land uses would be likely to cause any significant air quality issues for the site.

Flood risk The site is located within Flood Zone 1 and, as with the whole of Fleet, is indicated to have limited potential for groundwater flooding.

Location and scale of development

This is a very small urban site located at the edge of Fleet Town Centre. The site marks a point of transition between town centre uses to the west and mainly residential to the east. The site is previously developed land, currently in use for employment and car parking. Although this is a town centre site and higher densities may be appropriate, the ability to deliver 6 flats needs to be considered in in the context of the impact this may have on the character of the residential areas to the east.

Un-neighbourly Uses

There are no evident un-neighbourly uses on or in close proximity to this site.

Availability Assessment

The site is believed to be available, although this would need to be confirmed by the landowner / site promoter.

Hart District Council Local Plan Site Assessment: Stage 2 – High Level Site Assessment – SHL041 – Imac Systems, Fleet Confidential Draft - Version 1.1 – April 2015

Adams Hendry Consulting Ltd 4  

Site Access

The site benefits from an existing access onto Upper Street and this is likely to be appropriate for continued use if the site is redeveloped.

Summary of Constraints

• Redevelopment would involve the potential loss of employment. • Infrastructure deficiencies have been identified which would need to be addressed. • Site availability needs to be confirmed.

Summary of Opportunities

This is a very small site, but is largely unconstrained and would present few issues if it were taken forward for redevelopment into flats.

Focus of further assessment, should the site be shortlisted by the Council

• Site availability needs to be confirmed with the landowner / site promoter. • An assessment of site capacity is needed to test whether delivering 6 flats would constitute over development, which may harm

the character of the area.

Site Assessment Completed by

Name: PH Date: 14/04/2015

HDC Conclusion and recommendation

Shortlist the site:

Do not shortlist the site:

HDC Comments:

0 100 200 300 40050Meters

1:10,000

±Key

SHLAA Site 041Listed Buildings

! TPO - IndividualSSSISINCNational Nature ReserveLocal Nature ReserveParish BoundariesHistoric Parks and GardensConservation AreasThames Basin Heaths SPA (5km zone of influence)Thames Basin Heaths SPA (400m exclusion zone)Thames Basin Heaths SPASettlement BoundariesTPO - GroupsScheduled Ancient MonumentsStrategic Gaps

Contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database right 2015

SHLAA Site 041 - Constraints

0 100 200 300 40050Meters

1:10,000

±Key

SHLAA Site 041Flood Zone 3Flood Zone 2Reservoir Flood OutlinesSurface Water Flooding (1 in 30 year AEP)Surface Water Flooding (1 in 100 year AEP)Groundwater Flooding (Limited)Groundwater Flooding (Potential flooding to basements)Groundwater Flooding (Potential flooding at surface)

Contains Ordnance Survey Data Crown copyright and database right 2015

SHLAA Site 041 - Flood Risk