Ganger Farm, Romsey.
Client: Barratt David Wilson
LPA: Test Valley Borough Council
Our team supported the redevelopment of a former Pick Your Own site in Romsey for 275 new homes and sports facilities.
There was latent opposition to any further development in the town, which had recently experienced a number of large scale development proposals and had an allocation in the emerging local plan for a further 1,200 new homes.
Our advice was to focus on garnering political and community support for the principle of the development through focussing on the scheme’s key benefit: the creation of a much needed community sports hub.
Crucially, the housing numbers needed to support the proposals were not a feature of the first round of engagement as they were an unknown quantity at that stage.
The response from the local community was one of overwhelming support and so, by the time the second round of consultation was launched – announcing the number of new homes – the development had already been broadly accepted by the local community and councillors.
The scheme was supported unanimously by the planning committee.