HAMPSHIRE County Council (HCC) has been told it needs to consider the impact of the smell from sewage works near where it wants to build 900 homes and a primary school.

The authority is developing design ideas for land located to the northeast of Basingstoke, directly to the east of Chineham Shopping Centre, Lillymill Chine and the A33.

It stretches from Redlands House and Redlands Lodge in the north to Pyotts Hill/Bartons Lane in the south.

READ MORE: Residents worry over plans for 900 homes near Basingstoke

Basingstoke Gazette: The landIn September, the county council requested what is known as a scoping opinion from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. It sets out what the county authority should include in an environmental impact assessment.

Now, the borough council has given its opinion. Prior to the decision, HCC said that it would include topics such as air quality, noise and vibration, traffic and transportation, ecology and biodiversity, and landscape and visual effects.

However, it has now been told that it must consider odour within the report, after concerns were raised from consultees, in relation to the sewage works in Whitmarsh Lane.

Old Basing Parish Council said: “In this respect it is our understanding that odour problems are experienced by existing residents who live close to the sewage works. There is therefore an existing problem, but the proposed development would result in a large number of people living much closer to the sewage works and therefore lead to more significant odour problems for residents of the proposed development.”

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HCC’s report argued that “odour is not an issue in relation to the proposed development”.

Environmental Health said that there are two operations which omit odours in the area, the wastewater treatment works operated by Thames Water and the energy recovery operated by Veolia.

Its response said: “The impact of odour from these sources is significant consideration in terms of the masterplanning and delivery for the site. Although there are historic assessments, the current extent of odour impact across this site has not recently been assessed.”

The borough council said that in response to the comments from Environmental Health, HCC would need to consider the impact of odour “through the planning application process with further assessment and information, and possible mitigation and design/layout to address the issues raised”.