Hotel plans are refused over harm to South Downs landscape
April 22, 2024
Plans for a hotel complex close to the A3 have been refused because of harm to the landscape.
An outline application went before the National Park’s Planning Committee for a hotel, cycle centre and cafe on a 2.5 hectare greenfield site near Buriton, Hampshire.
Petersfield Town Council objected to the plan, arguing that the “development would severely impact the strategic gap between Petersfield and Buriton and raise the real risk of the creation in the future of a linear development between the two communities”.
Objections were also submitted by Buriton Parish Council, the National Park’s Design Officer, together with holding objections from the local flood authority and highways authority.
The County Landscape Officer for Hampshire said that “any coalescence of built form in this location should be resisted in this gateway location, if the quality of the National Park’s ‘breathtaking views’ are to be conserved”.
Members voted against the plans, saying it was unacceptable development on a greenfield site that would not conserve or enhance the landscape.
Mike Hughes, Director of Planning (Interim) at the National Park Authority, said: “We want to showcase planning approvals, but I think it’s also important to talk about those applications we refuse because of the harm to this precious landscape, which was designated for the entire nation for its natural beauty.
“These proposals were assessed against the Development Plan, the Neighbourhood Plan, the NPPF, the purposes of the National Park and its duty, as well as the other material considerations, and the conclusion was this development would harm, significantly, the existing rural landscape character of the site.”