RESIDENTS of Kings Barton have urged the city and county councils to keep a major road open as conditions for redeveloping the Sir John Moore Barracks.
Redeveloping the barracks in Flowerdown, included in the Winchester City Council draft local plan – a blueprint for future development – would add 800 to 1,000 extra homes and another park-and-ride site.
However, the news was not welcomed by residents of Barton Farm, also known as Kings Barton, since all traffic would be crossing the estate, which Mike Slinn, chair of Kings Barton Residents Association, said is “unacceptable”.
The closing of Andover Road has been called 'unacceptable' (Image: Winchester City Council)
READ MORE: Kings Barton residents up in arms over planned closure of Andover Road
Mr Slinn said: “The increase in traffic from this redevelopment results in Winchester Avenue being heavily overloaded. This is unacceptable to Kings Barton residents and may also to many Winchester residents.
“It’s important that the design of the Andover Road, Harestock Road, Winchester Avenue Junction includes the opportunity to keep Andover Road open for traffic. We’ve not yet seen the collar design for this junction, but we request the opportunity to see it.
He also said that Headbourne Worthy Parish Council and Kings Worthy Parish Council confirmed the residents association’s view that Sir John Moore Barracks should not “go ahead” if Andover Road is closed.
He continued: “Our petition is then that the county council insist on Andover Road being kept open to all traffic as an essential part of any permission for the redevelopment of Sir John Moore Barracks, and we request the [Winchester] city council include these requirements in their draft local plan.”
The association has a long-running fight with Hampshire County Council and Winchester City Council to reopen Andover Road to all traffic since the closure diverted drives through Winchester Avenue, the main road through the new estate.
They wrote to the secretary of state in September 2023 to see if the decision could be reversed.
The letter revealed that Cala Homes, the developer, could submit a new planning application without permission from the secretary of state since this figure gave permission “more than ten years ago”.
Mr Slinn said the letter closing the main road and transferring all traffic to Kings Barton would be the first time in UK history that a main road has been closed and traffic diverted through a major new housing development.
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He said: “The developer Cala is not prepared to reconsider the closure even though the secretary of state has written to KBRA (Kings Barton Residents Association) acknowledging that residents have good reason for wanting Andover Road to be kept open and its advisor the issue can be determined locally.”
“This will place the county council in a very difficult public situation. We advise you of this at the presentation.
“Winchester Avenue is an unsuitable low-capacity road to take any traffic diverted off Andover Road.
“The result of closing Andover Road for Kings Barton residents will be, first of all, road casualties. Traffic and accidents are likely to increase compared to situations with traffic remaining on Andover Road.”
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