ON WEDNESDAY, April 7, a major Amazon warehouse project was given the go-ahead for land at Basingstoke gateway, near Junction 7 of the M3.

The decision was taken by Basingstoke council’s Development Control Committee - who agreed it by just six votes to four after previously refusing developer Newlands outline permission for a total of four warehouses on the site.

The 630,000 square foot ‘distribution hub’, understood to me earmarked for international online retailer Amazon, has been met with mixed reaction, with some pleased to see an influx of promised jobs for the areas, while others maintain concerns over the environment of the rural location, including quantity of HGV traffic, loss of green space and oak trees, and disruption to those living nearby.

Council leader Ken Rhatigan voiced his support for the project prior to the meeting, championing the need for new jobs, particularly following the pandemic.

However, among the objectors are mayor of Basingstoke and ward councillor for Oakley and North Waltham, Cllr Diane Taylor, as well as Basingstoke’s MP Maria Miller who - alongside five other MPs for the area - has asked the government to ‘call in’ the application.

But, now that Basingstoke council has given Newlands the green light - what happens next? Here’s what we know so far …

What was approved?

Newlands Development, the company which owns the land at Basingstoke Gateway, submitted two applications for consideration by the committee on Wednesday evening.

The first was for outline planning permission for four warehouses on the site.

This was recommended for rejection by council officers, due to the harm to “character and visual amenity” in the local area, and lack of mitigation for HGV movements.

The committee also decided to refuse it, by 10 votes to one, with only Cllr Sven Godeson in support of the proposal.

However, the meeting then moved to discussing a second application, for full planning permission for just one warehouse unit - the largest, at 630,000 square foot, thought to be housing Amazon.

While environmental impact concerns remained, job opportunities (nearly 1,400 in total) were welcomed, as well as reasurances that this single unit would not be visible from nearby Dummer, unlike the full set of four.

The approval means work can start on this one building, which will see the demolition of three dwellings, out-buildings and related structures and construction of a storage and distribution warehouse including mezzanine floorspace and associated infrastructure works including site access, parking provision, landscaping, site reprofiling, drainage works and diversion of underground pipeline.

What have the developers said?

Newlands Development agents have said that they already have a “well-known logistics operator” lined up for the approved warehouse.

However they added that they are also in talks with operators for the remaining buildings, which were denied permission.

They said they it is “clearly extremely disappointing” that they cannot push forward with the full project at this stage, however added that they “respectfully disagree” with the reasons given for the rejections, stating that the council’s own transport/highways, economic development, environmental protection, conservation and waste officers all supported both applications, as well as Highways England, the Environment Agency, and Hampshire County Council’s highways, flood and archaeology officers.

From here, the company may decide to appeal the first decision, or alternatively tweak the plans and resubmit for consideration following further consultation with council officers.

Could the Amazon warehouse decision still be reversed?

In a letter to the housing secretary, Robert Jenrick, five Conservative MPs for Hampshire said the warehouse plans would “adversely impact the viability of the proposed hospital site” and would increase costs for building a new hospital, particularly if it was forced to rebuild Basingstoke hospital on its current site.

Maria Miller (Basingstoke), Kit Malthouse (North Hampshire), Flick Drummond (Meon Valley), Ranil Jayawardena (North-East Hampshire), and Steve Brine (Winchester and Chandler's Ford) asked Mr Jenrick to 'call in' the application, taking the decision out of the hands of the local authority.

In England, the Housing Secretary has the power to ‘call in’ applications.

They then decide on the outcome of the application, rather than a local authority, following a planning inspector holding an enquiry into the plans.

The government minister had previously said he would await the outcome of the council’s vote before deciding whether or not to take this step.

Speaking after the committee meeting, Maria Miller again urged Mr Jenrick to do so.

Talking about the next steps, she said: “The Secretary of State confirmed to me last week that he would consider halting the application once Basingstoke Council had made their intention clear.

“The government now has the opportunity to consider the application before it goes any further, and to ensure the application is halted if it in any way negatively impacts the new hospital to serve our town and borough.”

The Secretary of State is yet to announce whether or not he will proceed with the ‘call-in’ process.