The five major housing developments in Basingstoke you need to know about

As previously reported, Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust stated in a consultation on improving healthcare services in the area, that the increasing size of the population was one of the challenges it faced when delivering healthcare.

The borough council’s Local Plan states that births exceed deaths by 900 per year, which is expected to reduce gradually to about 600 a year by 2029.

The population is also ageing, with an increase in those aged over 65 forecast to increase by more than 16,600 from 2011 to 2029.

Currently, 850 new homes must be built in Basingstoke and Deane every year, and this is set to increase to 884 from next year.

The borough council’s current housing requirement set out in the adopted Local Plan is 850 homes a year, or 7,650 by 2029.

However, from May 2021, the council’s housing requirements will instead be calculated using a nationally set standard methodology, which will be updated regularly, for example in light of changing population projections.

If the current figure was used, the new requirement would be 884 homes a year.

Here we look at some of the large-scale developments planned for the borough.

Manydown

This is by far the largest development planned for Basingstoke, set to deliver 3,500 homes when it is complete. The site, near Winklebury, has been earmarked for new homes since 2012. After years of preparation work, the planning application will finally be decided this week by councillors on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Development Control committee.

If approved, the development will include up to 3,520 homes, a 250-acre country park, two primary schools, land for a secondary school, local centres with shops, cafes and restaurants, public open spaces and gypsy and traveller pitches.

Basingstoke Golf Club

Plans have been submitted to build up to 1,000 homes on land at Basingstoke Golf Club, in Winchester Road, Kempshott Hill.

If given the green light, the developers plan to demolish all the existing buildings to build new homes, a local centre, day nursery, retail units, open space, sports provision and gypsy and traveller pitches.

The planning application, submitted in April last year, is due to be discussed by the borough council on July 22.

Hounsome Fields

This 750-home development, which is opposite Basingstoke Golf Club, has already been given permission, but work has been delayed for various reasons. The application outlines plans to build the new homes alongside gypsy and traveller pitches, a neighbourhood centre, private children’s nursery, retail facilities and a three-form entry primary school.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council granted the planning application in September 2017. Work is meant to have started within three years of this date.

The Gazette has asked the developer, Vistry Group, why the work has not started sooner, but it declined to comment. It said work is due to start “soon”, once it has secured a licence to fell trees.

Bramley

Developers are waiting for permission to build up to 350 homes in Upper Cufaude Lane, Bramley.

The application, submitted to the borough council in January last year, details plans to build the new homes as well as a primary school

Oakley

An outline planning application has been submitted to the borough council to build 110 homes on land to the east of Station Road, Oakley.

The application was submitted in January this year, and have already had more than 300 objections. Many don’t want a large development built on a conservation area, claiming it will “ruin” the village.