Updated: TVBC responds to CPC's 25-home pre-application

Test Valley Borough Council planners have told Chilbolton Parish Council that they would not support a planning application for the 25-home development described in the pre-application that CPC made in April 2025.

Emma Jones of TVBC’s Development Management Team says in her letter to CPC:

On the basis of the information submitted and the advice contained within this response and the attached consultations, the submission of a planning application would not be supported at this time, for the proposals in their current form.

Ms Jones points out that the pre-app has been considered in the light of the old “Revised Local Plan”, not the draft local plan which is currently under consultation. Her letter also notes a number of issues that the Parish Council would have to address.

Community led development

  • The development would have to be proposed under two policies: the affordable houses under “COM8” rules which permits development of rural affordable housing; the downsize and self-build houses would come under “COM9” rules which allow community led development schemes in the countryside
  • For community led development, TVBC planners tell CPC that it “would need to be supported by clear evidence and data to show community support and the future ongoing community benefits associated with the proposal, for the longer term”.
  • They add that there would also have to be “clear evidence to demonstrate that the scheme is community driven, and designed to deliver specified and measurable benefits that have been established through local consultation and an assessment of local needs and community requirements”
  • On the issue of community benefits such as a shop, or medical centre, they say “No evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that that [sic] these proposed uses are deliverable or viable … or desired/supported by the community, and we would expect additional engagement with residents about what they would want to see delivered as a community benefit”
  • They conclude “At present, on the basis of the above, it cannot be concluded at this time that the proposed development would comply with the requirements of RLP policy COM9, and thus also policy COM2.”

Sustainability

The letter says that the development is close to the Village Hall and the settlement boundary. Although is it within 1 kilometre of the centre of the Village, it observes that:

there is not a continuous footway running along Drove Road to provide a safe route for pedestrians from the site to the village centre, and there would be a reliance on the use of private vehicles by any occupants of this site to access services and facilities elsewhere

Ms Jones suggests that highway improvement works might be required, perhaps being put forward as a “community benefit”

She concludes that “Should a planning application be submitted for the development of this site, this should be accompanied by robust evidence and justification on the overall sustainability of the site”.

Other planning considerations

The letter also covers a number of other issues, including:

  • Development should be “landscape led”, taking into account views from surrounding rights of way
  • Evidence would need to be provided justifying the loss of agricultural land
  • An an assessment of flood risk and drainage would need to be made
  • Parking spaces should be sited to avoid cars being parked on the road, for example to avoid being parked under trees
  • There should be some public open space provided
  • The developer would have to make contributions towards health and education provisions
  • Nutrient neutrality and biodiversity would have to be taken into account. In particular the suggestion in the Chilbolton “Vision” document that stored sewage could be tankered to a remote waste treatment plant would not be an appropriate solution. Nor would no-mains drainage be supported

Timeline

Interestingly, the letter was emailed to the landowner’s planning consultants and was dated 30 Jun 2025. At the Community Development Committee on 23 Jul 2025 a resident asked “Has anything been received in response to the pre-application?” Cllr Julian Hudson replied “Nothing to report yet”.

chilbolton.news only found the letter on the Parish Council website this morning. Where was it during that time, and what was being done with it?

Summary

Many of the points in Emma Jones’ letter echo what residents have been saying since December last year. In particular, her repeated requirement that community support, involvement and benefit are evidenced, aligns with residents’ calls for a referendum on the plan.

Additional comments from TVBC planners
A number of documents support the TVBC response (they are all available on the Parish Council’s website). Key points raised in them are covered here:

Community engagement

Echoing comments in the main letter, planners set out in detail what evidence would be required to demonstrate community support. They quote from TVBC’s own guidance for community-led developments. The Parish Council would have to:

  • Show how the process was publicised to the local community
  • Explain the extent to which different groups within the local community were involved and the different methods used so that the views of the whole community have been reflected
  • Include details of the community engagement carried out at each stage, including meetings and other consultation events, and record[s] of the outcome of these. This can include questionnaires and surveys undertaken
  • Explain how the community engagement has shaped the initial proposal and its evolution at each stage, including any changes made
  • Provide a record of the community support for the proposal including that there is majority support from those involved in the process
  • Allow opportunities to comment on the proposal
  • Include a record of parish council or steering group meetings including minutes, detailing support for the process and the proposed development proposal at each stage

They add that “it would also need to be demonstrated that the community has been actively involved in the preparation of the proposal as a whole”.

Housing scale and mix

Planners question whether the pre-application meets what is proposed in Chilbolton’s Neighbourhood Development Plan. On the mix of housing they say “The policy wording seeks a mix of housing types including bungalows however, all the submitted materials show the proposals are for 2 storey dwellings”.

On the five self-build properties, they ask for more detail on how big they will be. They point out that “The sizes in the submitted materials equates to the nationally described space standard for 5 bed dwellings, this would not be in line with the Housing Needs Survey or Neighbourhood Plan policies”.

Archeology

“It would appear that the proposal will encounter archaeological remains and an archaeological mitigation strategy will be needed.” The application would have to be supported by a Heritage Statement which should explain any archaeological issues and what would be done to deal with them

Ecology

Hedge and ground-nesting birds exist on the site. Sixteen species of mammals have been recorded within 1km of the site - slow worms, grass snakes and common lizards have also been recorded. Therefore a Preliminary Ecological Appraisal should be part of any planning application

Landscape

“A [Landscape Visual Appraisal] will be required to assess the extents of where the development would be seen from, this will also help guide where further landscaping or mitigation maybe required to minimise the impact of the development and integrate the proposals within the immediate and wider setting”