Building on car parks? 'Bonkers' (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Building on car parks? 'Bonkers'

5:10pm Monday 16th August 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(0)

SEVERAL of Basingstoke’s town centre car parks remain up for development after councillors rejected the chance to review their suitability.

Sites around New Road, including Castons car park and Jacob’s Yard, have been earmarked for dozens of new homes in the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) – a hit-list of areas across the borough which could take on more houses.

Members of Basingstoke and Deane’s planning and infrastructure committee heard Eastrop councillor Gavin James claim that it would be “bonkers” to build on the car parks, which generate £1.7million for the council each year.

He said: “If you were to recoup this money elsewhere, it would involve a 15-20 per cent increase in council tax.”

He added that Castons car park, which is being considered for 40 new properties, lies too close to many of the town centre’s pubs and bars, making it an unattractive spot for homeowners.

Norden ward member Cllr George Hood agreed, saying: “I see car parks as a lifeline of commerce, and if we got rid of them, people won’t travel to Basingstoke.”

But the car parks remain on the agenda after committee chairman Cllr Stephen Reid concluded: “We might want to defend the amount of car parking but we need to ask ourselves that if this was offered up, could it yield housing – and I think the answer is yes.”

The meeting also discussed a host of sites in Whitchurch, including land to the east of The Knowlings which was in the SHLAA with a potential yield of 200 homes. The committee opted to refer the site to senior council officers to review its suitability.

Councillors also agreed to send a site at The Gables, in London Road, for review – citing the fact that any development would fail to preserve the special character of the Laverstoke and Freefolk conservation area.

Cllr Keith Watts successfully argued that the proximity of Manor Farm, which could yield 50 homes according to the SHLAA, lies too close to the A34 trunk road.

A plot of land close to the Thornycroft Roundabout, to the north of Churchill Way, will also be reviewed after its suitability was challenged by Cllr Doris Jones.

The committee agreed a neighbouring site on the east side of the Ringway West will go back to officers, while an area of open space totalling less than a hectare off Popley Way will be reviewed after ward councillor Andrew McCormick argued there are few play resources remaining in Popley.

Elsewhere, a site in London Road, Eastrop, will be assessed again by officers following a call-in by ward councillor Gavin James. Cllr James also successfully argued that a site near Crossborough Hill should be reviewed.