Hundreds of residents speak out against supermarket plan

NO APPLICATION HAS YET BEEN SUBMITTED FOR FORMER ELVETHAM HEATH PARK AND RIDE

MORE than 800 residents have spoken out against plans for a new Lidl near one Hampshire town.

This comes even before developers submit a planning application to the local authority.

The landowners at a former park and ride in Elvetham Heath, near Fleet, are hoping to open the new Lidl food store and a drive-through restaurant.

Earlier this year, the developers invited residents to share their thoughts in an online consultation process before planning applications were sent in to Hart District Council.

If approved, the new supermarket would create up to 40 new full and part-time jobs for local people, the developers have said.

The building would additionally be built to Lidl’s latest specification, with a bakery, longer-style tills with dual packing, and customer toilets.

A planning application is yet to be submitted and it is not yet known which drive-through restaurant chain could be opening.

However, a new access route to the site is hoped to be built off

Elvetham Way, instead of the existing access to the Park and Ride from the main road into Elvetham Heath from the A323, Fleet Road.

Residents in Elvetham Heath, however, are not impressed with the plans and are urging the district council to reject them. At the time of going to press, 814 people had signed an online petition against the proposals. Richard Bellairs has lived in Elvetham Heath since 2005 and, along with his neighbours, is keen to do everything in his power to stop the development.

He said: “We live a few hundred metres from the actual site. This is a residential area and we think it’s wrong to turn it into a retail park. It’s nothing to do with the type of supermarket; I think a lot of people would welcome a Lidl in Fleet, but it’s just not the right area for it.

“There’s a single road that goes through Elvetham Heath, which is already very busy during peak times. We can’t imagine what it will be like with another supermarket, which will effectively double the amount of supermarket traffic. That is the main concern.”

Alongside the problem of traffic, residents are also worried about the environmental impact, with increased levels of noise and air pollution expected if plans are approved.

With the prospect of a new restaurant, residents are further worried about the increase of litter and antisocial behaviour in the area. Mr Bellairs is also concerned that not enough residents know about the plans that threaten to change the character of the neighbourhood. He added: “They’ve just opened an Aldi up the road in Church Crookham, but that is completely different because they are on a main road.

“Even then a lot of residents there have complained about the traffic congestion. It’s just going to be a lot worse in this area because it’s not even a main road.”

On the website for the planned store, a spokesman for the land owners said: “Part of the site is previously developed and is termed ‘brownfield.’

“It is generally favourable for new development to be located on brownfield land because it has previously been developed on.

“The forthcoming planning application will include supporting reports and surveys covering such topics as trees, highways, access, drainage, ecology and retail impact”.

The petition against the proposals can be viewed at https://you.38 degrees.org.uk/petitions/reject-theplan-for-lidl-on-elvetham-heath-2

The developers, Chapman Lily Planning Limited, have been contacted for a comment.

There’s a single road that goes through Elvetham Heath, which is already very busy during peak times Richard Bellairs