Planning inspectorate dismisses Basingstoke warehouse appeal

Plans to build a large warehouse by a motorway junction have been turned down following an unsuccessful appeal.

The site close to the M3's junction 7 for Dummer, near Basingstoke, would have been operated by supermarket Lidl.

Basingstoke Borough Council rejected the plans in May following a campaign raising concerns it would harm the area's landscape and environment.

The developers argued it would create 1,400 jobs but its appeal was thrown out by the Planning Inspectorate.

The application by Newlands Developments was refused by the council's development control committee on 18 May.

The planning authority said the decision was "based on the detrimental impact of the proposed development on the character and visual amenity of the landscape, including views across, to, within and out of settlements, and failure to mitigate these".

A council report had previously recommended the plans for approval and said "the public benefits outweigh the harm identified".

The developer said the proposals were scaled down and the centre would create hundreds of jobs.

Following an appeal, in its conclusion, the Planning Inspectorate said the development would have "major effects" on the area.

"Its location would detract from the area's landscape qualities and the setting of the town," it added.

Campaigners also fought against the proposed building, arguing it was in contradiction to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's plan to make the area carbon neutral by 2030.

More than 100,000 people signed a petition to stop 67 mature oak trees being felled as part of the development.

Christine Northam from the Clean Air Green Environment (CAGE) group welcomed the appeal decision as the "best Christmas present".

"It just confirms what we knew from the word go, that this was an inappropriate development.

"We've been vindicated and everybody is thrilled," she added.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].