Help Save Barn Meadow

This beautiful water meadow in Alresford is under imminent threat from housing development

The Community Consultation has closed.

We expect the results in the New Year and will respond once the outcome is clear.

In the meantime, we would like to thank you for your fantastic support and wish you a very Merry Christmas.

How Do I Object?

The Community Consultation survey has now closed.

Whatever the outcome, we anticipate the need to take further action to protect Barn Meadow, so please get in contact with us at:

When Did the Survey Close?

Midnight on Tuesday 17 December.

What was the outcome of the Community
Consultation?

We are waiting for the result from New Alresford Town Council, but will post details here as soon as they are released.

Why Protect Barn Meadow?

There are many reasons to oppose any development of Barn Meadow. We believe that it is the least appropriate of all the sites proposed for housing in Alresford, due to:

Flooding
Wildlife disturbance and displacement and loss of habitat
Pollution to River Itchen Catchment
Road Safety at Winchester Road entrance
Landscape ‘High Sensitivity Red’
Local Green Space consultation ignored

Is There More I can Do to Help?

Whatever the outcome, we anticipate the need to take further action to protect Barn Meadow, so please get in contact with us at:

Slide

“The Wildlife Trust supports opportunities to secure Barn Meadow for nature recovery and further protection of the River Itchen catchment and its floodplain.

With the emerging Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), Barn Meadow on the River Arle floodplain represents a location of not insignificant importance to local nature recovery, and mitigation to climate change.

Aspirations to expand the urban conurbation further into the floodplain should carefully consider the impact on biodiversity, river water quality and resources, exacerbation to flood risk and conflict with other priorities such as the LNRS.

The River Arle is one of the most biodiverse and sensitive reaches within the Itchen catchment, an internationally renowned chalk river and Special Area of Conservation. Future land use changes should prioritise protection and recovery of this rich natural heritage.”

Martin De Retuerto

Director of Nature Recovery

Hampshire & Isle of Wight
Wildlife Trust

Supporters:

Download our short .pdf response to the Community Consultation here:

Survey Response – 3rd Community Consultation – SHORT Download

Key Reasons to Save Barn Meadow:

· Wildlife disturbance – the water meadow is surrounded by protected SSSI + SAC sites – see wildlife link

· ‘High Sensitivity’ landscape

· Floodplain site – flooding issues + loss of future nature recovery, nutrient mitigation and other beneficial floodplain opportunities – see flooding link

· Road safety locally – Drove Lane is a narrow lane with no pavement, busy with walkers and cyclists

· On objective grounds, we believe that overall, this is the least appropriate of all the sites proposed for housing in the Neighbourhood Plan’s search for the next 100 houses to be built in Alresford after the Sun Lane development

Further details to follow shortly

Where is Barn Meadow?

Barn Meadow is the former water meadow on Drove Lane, Alresford. It lies at the point where the River Alre/Arle meets the River Itchen.

Who are the Friends of Barn Meadow?

We are a loosely-formed community-group campaigning to protect this key part of Alresford’s rich agricultural history, beautiful landscape and wildlife habitat.

Can I be a Friend of Barn Meadow?

Of course you can!

The Community Consultation has now closed.

Whatever the outcome, we anticipate the need to take further action to protect Barn Meadow, so please get in contact with us at:

“Don’t Worry, They’ll Never Get Planning Permission to Build on the Water Meadow!”

We’re fed up of hearing this from so many local people we speak to!

The reality is that the proposal is being given every consideration. We believe that if there is not a resounding rejection of the plans to build on this site, then Barn Meadow will be allocated for housing in the Neighbourhood Plan.

That’s why it has been so important that so many people have responded to the Community Consultation. Thank you.

What is the Neighbourhood Plan?

The New Alresford Neighbourhood Plan aims to set planning policy to guide future development in the town, set future planning policies and, crucially, will determine which sites are chosen for future housing development in Alresford.

Winchester City Council’s Local Plan is a separate, overlapping plan. It requires New Alresford to find greenfield sites for 100 more houses. That’s in addition to the 302 houses currently being built at Sun Lane.

Another 100 Homes on top of the Sun Lane Development?

Everyone knows that there is a shortage of housing in this country and we all want the people we care about to have somewhere to live. At the same time, we love the river and surrounding countryside. It’s part of what makes Alresford so special to us all.

‘No development anywhere ever’ is simply not an option. Instead, we believe that a balance must be struck so that we choose ‘the right developments, in the right places’.

In Alresford this leaves us with some very tough choices, but on the objective grounds set out on this website we believe that the Barn Meadow floodplain site is the least appropriate of all the options available.

If you agree with us, please join our campaign as we follow up to the December 2024 Community Consultation.

What is the Community Consultation?

To ensure the Neighbourhood Plan reflects the wishes of the whole of Alresford, the town council has carried out a Community Consultation. This has addressed the policies of the Plan and will be used to determine where the next housing developments will be in Alresford from 2030.

The consultation survey closed on 17 December 2024 and we are awaiting the results of the community’s response and the will closely follow the reaction of the town council’s Neighbourhood Plan Advisory Committee.

We will provide full details here as soon as they are confirmed by the town council.

How can I get more information?

For more information, please contact us at:

Sites Protected for Biodiversity

65% of the site boundary is a SSSI
– a Site of Special Scientific Interest, designated by Natural England because of the important landscape, habitat and the rare species of animals and plants it contains

Of all the sites proposed for housing in Alresford, Barn Meadow is the only one on the Priority Habitats Inventory and the only one that borders SSSI or SAC sites

55% of the site boundary is an SAC
– a Special Area of Conservation, designated by the government’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee

SACs give higher level protection than SSSIs and protect habitats and species that are of the highest importance at European level

The meadow features on the Priority Habitats Inventory and is characterised as Good quality semi improved grassland, meaning it has good potential for restoration to species-rich meadow

Barn Meadow offers vital connectivity to the wildlife of the SSSI and SAC sites which have been designated for species including:

Otter

Water vole

White-clawed crayfish