Strategic Development Area (SDA) North of Fareham

Strategic Development Area (SDA) North of Fareham

The strategy for South Hampshire which has been produced by the Partnership for Urban South Hampshire (PUSH) includes a Strategic Development Area (SDA) to the north of Fareham. The identified location is within Fareham Borough, to the north of the M27, adjoining Winchester District in the vicinity of Knowle. The SDA was incorporated into the South East Plan, which required a community of 10,000 dwellings, 121,000 sq m of employment floorspace and a range of facilities and services.

In July 2010 the South East Plan was revoked and PUSH has begun a revision of its economic strategy to take account of the change in the financial climate. Fareham Borough Council remains committed to progressing an SDA and has also expressed interest in it being considered for 'Eco-Town' status. Initial work on masterplanning has indicated that the site is likely to accommodate 7,000-8,000 dwellings which accords with the revised economic strategy.

The precise development area has yet to be defined through further work on masterplanning, infrastructure and key service requirements for the new community. However, it is expected that all the built development and associated formal open space will be within Fareham Borough, to the south and east of Knowle. It is important that undeveloped gaps are retained to separate the SDA from Knowle and Wickham.

The SDA would be planned as a distinct new community - comprising 7,000-8,000 new dwellings and with substantial new employment development, all the necessary education, health, shopping, open space and other community support facilities. The objective is to ensure that it would be potentially self-contained for the community's day-to-day needs, sustainable, and would reduce travel needs. The SDA is intended to support Portsmouth's role as one of the two main cities in the sub-region, and it will be essential for it to have effective transport links to Portsmouth.

The SDA proposal is being progressed through Fareham Borough Council's Local Development Framework. The Borough Council plans to produce an Area Action Plan for the SDA which will set out the detailed proposals. Winchester City Council will address the aspects of the SDA relevant to Winchester District through its Local Development Framework.

Fareham Borough Council has set up a Community Liaison Group to bring together relevant community interests to identify and discuss any relevant issues which might arise during the course of planning and developing a new sustainable community to the north of Fareham. http://www.fareham.gov.uk/council/departments/planning/ldf/sda.aspx