18/01/2008 by admin.

Campaigners fighting a huge new Tesco have admitted defeat after a government minister decided not to step in to the row.

Hazel Blears, secretary of state for Communities and Local Government, has announced she will not call in the decision by Havant Borough Council to give the go-ahead to the new superstore in  Solent Road. Had she done so then she could have overturned the decision. But it is now seen that her decision is the final nail in the coffin for campaigners who have been trying to stop the superstore being built.
Ray Cobbett, Hampshire co-ordinator for Friends of the Earth, wrote to the Government Office for the South East, which represents central government in the region, to ask for Havant Borough Council’s decision to be reconsidered. But the council has now received a letter from GOSE saying no action is to be taken.
Mr Cobbett said: ‘We always knew it was a long shot and obviously these things are very rarely called in.
‘But we thought we ought to go the last mile for the 2,000 or so petitioners and not leave any stone unturned.
‘That’s the end of the process now unfortunately. There are no other steps we can think of . We hope for everybody’s sake that the gamble the council has taken pays off.’
The existing supermarket in Solent Road Havant, is to be bulldozed and a new Tesco Extra store more than double the size built in its place. About 2,000 people signed a petition against the superstore, and many traders in Havant are worried about the impact a larger Tesco will have on their businesses.
Mark Sloan, from GOSE, wrote to Havant Borough Council saying the secretary of state would not interfere with decisions made by a local planning authority unless there were issues of ‘more than local importance’. He said: ‘She is satisfied that the issues raised do not relate to matters of more than local importance, which would be more appropriately decided by her rather than the local planning authority. ‘She has therefore concluded that the application should be decided by Havant Borough Council.’ 

The News 18 January  2008 

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15/01/2008 by admin.

The ERA was asked by Hampshire County Council for commentsabout a proposal for the temporary erection of a 50-meter tallanemometry mast at Southleigh Forest Landfill Site, EmsworthCommon Road. The purpose of this mast is to measure windspeeds for a period of about 12 months to establish whether ornot the site is suitable for the later installation of a wind turbineto generate electricity. In fact the site itself is just outside Emsworth and within the East Hampshire District Council boundary. It is not clear whether the mast will be visible from  Emsworth Common Road or elsewhere in Emsworth.It will certainly be visible when travelling south from  Rowlands  Castle on the B2148. If the eventual outcome is to put a turbine on the site then it will almost certainly be visible from many places.The plans were reviewed at our committee meeting and this invoked considerable discussion. Our response to HCC indicated our great concern about any long-term proposals that may influence the future usage of this and any adjacent site. However, we did not oppose the current proposed temporary planning application, but would request a copy of the results obtained by the consultants. This information would then enable the ERA to make a constructive judgement if any future plans are put forward.Chris Curry, Chairman

Emsworth Residents Association
From The EMMS Jan 2008

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14/01/2008 by admin.

A council has come up with potential places for nearly 2,000 homes that have to be built on greenfield sites.Open space between towns may be developed under Havant Borough Council’s proposals. The council is asking the public to have its say.Its planners have to find space for 6,301 houses that the government has ordered must be built within 20 years – 315 a year.They have allocated 4,400 to built-up areas but the rest will go on

The News 10^th Jan 2oo8

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