future protection

On any objective analysis it certainly does. Here is how Barn Meadow fulfils the criteria set out in the NPPF, para. 107:

a) we know that Barn Meadow is ‘in reasonably close proximity to the community it serves‘ – it is directly adjacent to Alresford, touching the existing settlement boundary.

b) your responses to the 2nd and 3rd Community Consultations clearly demonstrate that Barn Meadow is ‘special’ to Alresford’s community.

It ‘holds a particular local significance‘ by virtue of:

• ‘its beauty‘ – this landscape has been characterised by Winchester City Council as a “High Sensitivity”, “High Value” landscape with “strong scenic qualities”
• ‘its historic significance‘ – the water meadow was worked over hundreds of years as part of Alresford’s rich agricultural history
• ‘its recreational value and tranquility‘ – many people have commented in their consultation responses how passing Barn Meadow improves their walks and rides along the roads and footpaths that surround three sides of the meadow
• the ‘richness of its wildlife‘ – sharing its boundary with the SSSI and Special Area of Conservation – see link

Only one of these four criteria needs to be met for LGS designation; Barn Meadow fulfils all four!

c) Lastly, Barn Meadow is very much ‘local in character’. With only 200 chalk rivers across the planet, this water meadow is quintessentially a chalk stream landscape – and, at just 6.2 ha, the City Council has agreed with us that it cannot be considered ‘an extensive tract of land’.

It’s not just the Friends of Barn Meadow who believe that this site is suitable for LGS designation, see the supporting letter from the countryside charity, CPRE, below.

The Natural Environment & Recreation Team of the Local Planning Authority, Winchester City Council, has stated that “we would not have any objection to this site going forwards as a LGS. We agree that it meets the criteria set out in the NPPF paragraph 100 [now para. 107]. Presumably the degree of protection already afforded it, by being within the countryside, would be added to by this designation”

First, it would protect the rich wildlife and landscape from the immediate threat of development.

Secondly, LGS would effectively put this part of the floodplain beyond development once and for all. That would provide the landowner with the incentive to look to nature based solutions for issues such as downstream flooding, nutrient neutrality and carbon sequestration, whilst offering potential to improve the existing habitat offered on the meadow by improving wetland habitat.

Since withdrawing its application for 10 ‘eco-lodges’ on the floodplain 1.0 km away at Abbotstone last year, the estate has gained permission to provide just such measures on that site – see link. A similar scheme could be replicated at Barn Meadow, qualifying for grants such at the new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) and generating valuable nutrient neutrality credits and Biodiversity Net Gains units for the landowner.

Above all, it is important that Barn Meadow is designated as LGS, because it is your Neighbourhood Plan, and Local Green Space is overwhelmingly what you asked for at each of the three Community Consultations.

This protection can only be put in place by a local plan or neighbourhood plan. That means now!

If the emerging New Alresford neighbourhood plan is ‘made’, it will last until 2040. We anticipate that without LGS designation, the landowner would again put Barn Meadow forward for housing development when the plan is reviewed in ten years’ time.

The government’s push to significantly loosen planning policy – including the damaging Part 3 of the Planning & Infrastructure Bill, see updated link here – would leave the site more vulnerable than it is now.

The neighbourhood plan is costing the people of Alresford a very significant sum in consultancy fees and other resources, paid for by the community through the town council for the community’s neighbourhood plan. It is essential that the wishes of the community are respected.

We don’t understand.

When we first presented our proposal for LGS designation, we faced a hostile response from the steering group and a raft of reasons why LGS could not apply to Barn Meadow. We addressed these one by one:

‘No Public Access’ – The government’s guidance note – see link – confirms that land can be considered for LGS designation even if there is no public access.

‘Private Ownership’ – The same guidance note confirms that land for LGS does not need to be in public ownership.

‘Extensive Tract of Land’ – At 6.2ha, it seemed improbable that Barn Meadow would be classed as an ‘extensive tract’, so we asked for guidance from the Strategic Planning team of the Local Planning Authority, Winchester City Council, who told us they “would not have any objection to this site going forwards as a LGS” and they “agree that it meets the criteria”.

‘Not demonstrably special to the local community’ – We agreed that we could not prove this ourselves, so we waited for the responses of the Community Consultations. Each of them have shown overwhelming support for Barn Meadow’s inclusion in the LGS policy, far outweighing that of any other space in the town.

‘It is a proposal for LGS on a SHELAA housing allocation list site and that’s not allowed, because it is an attempt to block development’ – We sought guidance from Locality, the government’s neighbourhood plan advisor, back in September 2023. Their advice was that “to our knowledge there is nothing in current government guidance, policy or legislation that would specifically prevent land from being designated as Local Green Space solely on the grounds of having been put forward for development under a call for sites.”

All of these issues were addressed in 2023 without any disagreement from the committee. Barn Meadow was included in the 2nd Community Consultation, was very well supported but then blocked from the 3rd without any explanation. That is not how neighourhood planning works. The community decides, not the committee.