THE DEVELOPER of a proposed distribution hub has said it will adjust its construction management plan for the site to ensure lorries do not go down an avenue of much-loved oak trees.

Newlands Developments submitted a revised planning application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for the new distribution hub on the land near junction 7 of the M3, including plans to build a Lidl supermarket.

In October, members of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development control committee refused Newlands’ previous application - understood to be earmarked for Amazon.

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The application has yet to be determined, but the developer has submitted a construction management plan to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council setting out rules for how the site would be managed while being built, including routes for construction vehicles.

Revisions to this plan, will see the construction access moved so vehicles will not use the old farm track, where the historical oak trees are located.

John Barker, development director at Newlands Developments, said: “Given the significant changes we’ve made, which will include retaining the avenue of oak trees, we want to ensure those trees are fully protected.

“Rather than construction vehicles accessing the site down the existing farm track where the oak trees are located, we felt it would be better to keep the trees and vehicles apart.

“When we revisited the original scheme it was clear how important protecting those trees was to local people. So, we’ve retained them in the revised application, and made other significant changes, including reducing the scale of the buildings, and levels of traffic, as well as adding more green open space and planting."

Despite this the Clean Air Green Environment (CAGE) which campaigned to save the Oak trees continue to say the plans are a “dishwasher” version.

Christine Northam, a member of the group, added: “All Newlands amendments, we look at them and we talk about them and we examine them but this site is still as big as the original Amazon plan.

“Despite any window dressing that Newlands might do it does not change the bulk and size of the development, which the council said they objected to on landscape matters.”

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Late last year Newlands Developments announced Lidl as the new key occupier for its revised scheme.

The development is still a distribution hub to be served by HGVs, but the changes would also see the number of HGV and car movements reduced significantly due to the reduced floorspace.

A proposed landscaping ‘bund’ to be located on the southern side of the M3 has been removed.

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