Concerns for Twyford golf club's plans which involve HGVs

Scores of people in Twyford and Colden Common are objecting to plans which would see more traffic on the B3335 for at least three years. Villagers fears it would mean an extra 50 HGVs a day going from the course.

Hockley Golf Club has applied to the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) for permission to develop a sustainable irrigation system.

That will involve the transportation of 130,000 cubic metres of spoil to the 18-hole golf course to create the irrigation system, with the preliminary plans calling for the trucks to drive on a route through Twyford and Colden Common.

Residents of both Twyford and Colden Common are concerned about the impact the plans will have on the environment and traffic with the South Downs National Park Authority receiving 33 letters of objection.

A HGV in Twyford (Image: Ingrid Percival)

READ MORE: Council to buy new affordable homes in village from developer

Waine Lawton, chairman of the Twyford Parish Council’s planning committee, told the Chronicle that the parish council had objected.

He said: “The planning committee has raised concerns about the traffic and the volume of lorries heading through the village. There are other issues regarding the archaeology and the environment as well.”

The parish council objection states that it is concerned that the plans “will cause harm to the natural beauty of the South Downs National Park”, and will cause harm to Twyford with the additional lorry traffic.

Vicki Dunlop, of Twyford High Street, has told planners: “My family has lived in Twyford for nearly 30 years and we have already noticed a dramatic increase of traffic in the last five years making it harder and harder to get out of our drive onto the main road. Quite often we need to stick our car nose out in order for the traffic to stop to let us out. There used to be a gap, but not anymore!

“Unfortunately, road users do not keep to the 30-mile speed limit as they pass our drive - in spite of local Speed Watch volunteers. There will be another accident soon at this end of the village which will not be helped by lorry movement from Hockley Golf Club!”

Neil Penfold, of Northfields, said that while the golf club's desire for a sustainable irrigation system is understandable, “the detrimental carbon footprint of its construction will involve approximately 110,000 additional individual diesel truck/tipper movements over a three-year minimum period.”

He continued: “While it is commendable the applicant has agreed vehicles laden with infill will access from the M3 if this application is successful, I would suggest their return journeys should follow the same return route via the motorway and avoid the B3335 through Twyford village centre and on to Colden Common and Bishops Waltham.

“The B3335 through Twyford is arguably at full capacity already, with many motorists and haulage companies using the road as a rat run to the M3 Junction 11 at Hockley, next to the Applicant's site.”

HGV in Twyford (Image: Ingrid Percival)

SEE ALSO: 'It's an exciting addition': Crowds flock to now open Cornish Bakery

Dan Bleasdale, of The Avenue, shared his concerns. He continued: “As residents of Twyford the volume of HGV using this road already concerns me, as in my opinion it is not a suitable road for these large, very heavy vehicles. I often see them mounting the pavements to negotiate this narrow road with significant bends in though the village, causing significant traffic jams in both directions. Increasing the number of HGVs would exacerbate this problem further.

Children regularly walk and cross the road on their way to and from the school bus stops and village primary school, and any increase in traffic in general makes this more difficult and potentially less safe and the increase in air pollution also concerns me a lot.”

There have been 82 letters of support for the plans from a wide geographical area.

Chris Kilgannon, general manager of Hockley Golf Club, said: “The rainwater catchment scheme at Hockley Golf Club is an environmentally significant project that seeks to enhance sustainability by replacing the use of potable water with captured rainwater for course irrigation. This initiative, endorsed by both England Golf and Hampshire Golf, addresses critical issues tied to climate change and water conservation. By conserving potable water for the growing local population and improving the biodiversity of the golf course, this project holds regional importance.

“Hockley Golf Club have engaged professional transport consultants to inform the planning application. As part of the proposal, the club have met several times with Twyford Parish Council and have committed to implementing a traffic routing plan for construction traffic. This will ensure that all trucks arrive at the golf club via Junction 11 of the M3 thereby avoiding travelling through the village of Twyford. Only empty trucks leaving our site to development projects in the Fair Oak, Bishops Waltham and Botley areas would travel through Twyford. All trucks leaving to other destinations would depart via the motorway. Hampshire Highways have been consulted on our planning application and have no objection to the proposal subject to conditions.

“This scheme not only promises to reduce potable water use but also aims to boost biodiversity by over 10 per cent, providing a habitat for rare species in the South East. It could serve as a national example for how golf clubs can embrace environmental sustainability in the face of climate challenges.”

The full details of the planning application can be found by visiting the South Downs National Park Planning Authority website and searching using reference SDNP/24/02686/FUL.