A PLANNING application seeking to increase HGV movements in Kings Worthy has received dozens of objections as the public consultation comes to an end.

Ecogen Recycling Limited has submitted a proposal to Hampshire County Council to vary conditions laid out in a 2019 planning application. Its revised proposal is to change a pair of conditions on its earlier planning permission at the North Winchester Farm, Stoke Charity Road.

If approved, the change will double HGV movements from 40 to 80, and increase the maximum annual tonnes of waste from 30,000 tonnes per year to 60,000.

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Public consultation on the application is set to come to an end on Monday June 26, with many local residents and representatives opposing the changes.

South Wonston Parish Council opposed the application, with Cllr Ann Peal saying: “South Wonston Parish Council regards the combination of increased HGV movements, proposed mitigation and local conditions, including parked cars, detrimental to road safety for all users, especially cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, on the Stoke Charity Road railway bridge.”

Dr Peter Scott objected to the changes, saying: “There will be a terrible accident even with the existing numbers, this is a busy village and having these huge vehicles driving through every few minutes (40 movements a day) is already too much.”

Seena Lewis also objected, saying “Local people do not want any more heavy traffic.”

“Stoke Charity Road is a small country lane, unable to withstand a volume of 80 HGVs per day. Lovedon Lane leads to Eversley Park where local residents come to play, relax and enjoy nature and it hosts children’s sports clubs and Scout group trips on a regular basis. The enjoyment of the park would be negatively impacted by HGV volume increasing to 80.”

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As part of its application, Ecogen instructed consulting engineers Stuart Martin Associates (SMA) to assess the implications the application being granted and extra tonnage travelling on Stoke Charity Road.

The assessment said that “the site was granted planning permission and the movement of HGV’s along the Stoke Charity Road and Lovedon Lane was not raised as a significant issue at the time and the route is already used by HGVs, buses and farm traffic.”

The application can be viewed by visiting the Hampshire County Council planning portal on its website and searching for reference number HCC/2023/0269.