326. Waterlooville Town Centre exhibits the characteristics of
a vital and viable town centre. The Dukes Walk Scheme and the edge
of centre Hambledon Road Retail Park, both constructed since 2000,
have provided much-needed modern retail units most of which have
been occupied by national multiple retailers not previously
represented in the centre. Whilst substantial public areas of the
town centre have now been improved, the southern section of London
Road suffers from through traffic and a poor pedestrian
environment. An environmental enhancement scheme is to be
implemented for this part of the town centre in conjunction with
the A3 bus priority measures which will close the road to through
traffic (except buses) and enable the extension of the street
market on to the newly-created pedestrian precinct. The closure of
the crossroads will provide the opportunity to create a new town
square or civic open space nearby, as proposed in the Waterlooville
Town Centre Urban Design Framework (October 2004). A town square
will give a strong identity and sense of place to the town centre,
which is something it currently lacks.
327. This Plan also contains major proposals for
edge-of-centre commercial leisure development which will also help
to improve the vitality and viability of the centre as a whole and
assist in linking the town centre with the West of Waterlooville
Major Development Area (
MDA). In addition Waterlooville
Town Centre will need to accommodate the shopping requirements of
the 2,000 homes proposed as part of the
MDA. Proposals have been
advanced through the Urban Design Framework which would assist in
meeting the need for additional retail floorspace that may require
the use of the leisure site for shopping purposes by providing a
site for a new Asda store. Redevelopment of the existing Asda site
would facilitate the integration of the
MDA with the town centre. Whilst
edge-of-centre development could proceed in advance of the housing
development the schemes for these sites would need to be in
accordance with an adopted Masterplan for the whole of the
MDA including the
sites on the edge of Waterlooville Town Centre.
WTC1 PUBLIC
TRANSPORT IMPROVEMENTS
Development will not be
permitted where it conflicts with land safeguarded for the
construction of:
(i) the realignment of Swiss
Road and provision of bus
waiting infrastructure;
and/or
(ii) the provision of a new
traffic signal controlled junction at Swiss Road/Maurepas Way
junction.
328. To provide full pedestrianisation
of the section of London Road from its junction with Stakes Hill
Road southwards to the southern boundary of number 258 London Road,
it will be necessary to re-route the present bus services away from
the southern section of London Road and provide an alternative
route through the town centre for these services. The use of Swiss
Road and a new access at Swiss Road/Maurepas Way with traffic
signal control will provide the alternative route. The opportunity
is being taken as part of these public transport proposals and
those for the A3 (Policy T2) to substantially upgrade the bus
infrastructure within the town centre. St George's Walk will remain
as an on-street bus station with the existing bus stops relocated
westwards and/or in Swiss Road to reflect the new road arrangements
following the full pedestrianisation of Stakes Hill Road and St
George's Walk.
329. The Swiss Road proposal will
require the realigning of the bends adjacent to the police station
which will involve the purchase of third party land to permit
two-way bus movements. It is proposed, subject to statutory
procedures, that the widened section will become a two-way bus only
section with exemption for police and emergency vehicles and those
requiring access to the private parking areas adjoining this
section. The provision of a new Swiss Road/Maurepas Way vehicular
access will require the realignment of the southern section of
Swiss Road. The realignment will require the renegotiation of the
Asda lease to provide the land required and involve the loss of car
parking spaces from the Asda car park.
330. The introduction of a bus only
section on Swiss Road south of St George's Walk will require an
alternative access to be provided for operational, public and
private traffic visiting 47 to 81c London Road, the Clock House
building and the Asda car park. The new access from Maurepas Way
will be traffic signal controlled with a right turn into Swiss Road
for buses and left in and out for buses and other vehicles. The
existing pedestrian crossing facilities on Maurepas Way will
require relocation or incorporation into the traffic signal
arrangements.
WTC2 GAP SITE REDEVELOPMENT - STAKES HILL ROAD
Development of the gap site comprising the access road
to the Albert Road Car Park from Stakes Hill Road will be permitted
provided:
(i) it makes provision for retail or service sector
uses open to visiting members of the public at ground floor level;
and
(ii) it makes provision for a footpath connection
between the Albert Road Car Park and Stakes Hill Road as shown on
the Proposals Map (Inset Map).
331. The construction of the South East Quadrant Link Road has
included a new vehicular access to the Albert Road Car Park. The
existing vehicular access to the Albert Road car park from Stakes
Hill Road is now redundant and would make a suitable site for a
small shop and office development. It will be desirable to maintain
a pedestrian access from the Albert Road car park to Stakes Hill
Road and proposals for this site must make allowance for this in
accordance with criterion (ii). The existing trees which are sited
along both flank boundaries should be retained where possible and
in particular along the northern boundary adjoining the pedestrian
link. It is expected that all trees at the rear of the site, on
both boundaries beyond the rear of the building, should be
retained. The rear building line is to be aligned with the rear
wall of 18-22 Stakes Hill Road. Operational on-site parking will be
permitted in accordance with the Council's adopted car parking
standards.
WTC3 PRIVATE ACCESS ROAD
Development of the private access road between 310-312
(even) London Road will be permitted provided:
(i) it makes provision for retail uses at ground floor
level; and
(ii) it makes provision for on-site parking and
servicing from Curzon Road.
332. This site is situated adjoining a primary shopping
frontage and would enable the construction of a single shop unit
with offices or residential accommodation at first floor level. The
development will have to respect daylight and access arrangements
to adjoining premises. The site will be accessed from Curzon Road
and incorporate operational parking in accordance with the
Council's adopted standards.
WTC4 DEVELOPMENT SITE - ST GEORGE'S WALK/PORTLAND ROAD
Mixed-use development within the area
bounded by Portland Road, St George's Walk, the A3 (Maurepas Way)
and the Asda Superstore for town centre uses will be
permitted.
333. This area already contains a mixture of commercial and
residential uses. The Council will encourage the development of the
area for mixed town centre uses. Development will be permitted on a
piecemeal basis providing this does not frustrate the future
satisfactory development of other sites.
WTC5 CHAPEL COURT AND OTHER PROPERTIES -
CHANGE OF USE
Planning permission will be
granted for changes of use to Class A2 or Class B1 (a) in respect
of the following properties - Chapel Court, Stakes Hill Road; 24-30
(even) Stakes Hill Road; 16-18 (even) Spur Road and 1 Curzon
Road.
334. The continued use of these
properties for residential purposes may prove to be impracticable
because of their proximity to the recently constructed South East
Quadrant Link Road and the Dukes Walk Shopping Centre. Any
proposals for Chapel Court will be subject to the change of use
application applying to the whole building and for the provision of
adequate operational parking in accordance with the Council's
adopted standards.
WTC6 INDUSTRIAL/BUSINESS PREMISES - VICTORIA ROAD
Planning permission will be granted for the extension
or redevelopment of the industrial /business premises situated at
the south eastern end of Victoria Road provided:
(i) the development secures the closure of the
existing vehicular access to the site from Victoria Road;
and
(ii) the development brings forward the provision of a
new service access road to the rear of 230-242 (even) London
Road.
335. The opening up of the backland area situated to the rear
of 230-232 London Road is dependent upon the provision of a service
access. The development of the site for industrial, mixed use or
residential purposes is acceptable to the Council providing
satisfactory access arrangements at the rear of 230-242 London Road
can be agreed with the owner of the garage premises.
WTC7 DEVELOPMENT SITE - FORMER ALLOTMENTS,
MAUREPAS WAY
Development of the former
allotment site for recreation and leisure facilities will be
permitted provided it makes provision for:
(i) improving existing and
providing new pedestrian and cycleway routes within the site and to
the town centre and the West of Waterlooville Major Development
Area (MDA)
;
(ii) public transport
accessibility within the site;
(iii) significant peripheral
landscape works along the southern boundary of the
site;
(iv) the satisfactory physical
integration with the MDA; and
(v) the future vehicular access
requirements of the MDA.
336. The Council's Shopping Surveys drew
attention to the limited facilities for recreation and leisure
within the town centre. The town centre is considered an
appropriate location for most indoor entertainment and recreation
facilities, whether provided privately or by the Council. The
Council has identified the former allotments west of Maurepas Way
as being a suitable edge-of-centre site for leisure development.
This site could accommodate a wide range of commercial leisure uses
set in landscaped surrounds with associated car parking areas. In
addition, non-recreational uses, excluding retail uses, may be
permitted if the Council is satisfied that their provision will
enable the development to proceed. The leisure complex would need
to be designed to take account of the existing housing to the south
and the proposed housing to the west. No vehicular access will be
permitted from Forest End. Significant peripheral landscape works
will be appropriate on the southern boundary of the site. There are
no sites within the town centre which are suitable, viable or
available for the scale of development required to provide an
attractive mix of leisure uses.
337. The former allotments site is
considered to be strategically important being located on the edge
of Waterlooville Town Centre and is potentially one of the major
gateways linking the town centre to the MDA. The design of the
proposed leisure development needs careful consideration in that
public transport, pedestrian and cycle links across the site are
likely to be of critical importance. Therefore, whilst it will be
possible for the development of this site to take place in advance
of the implementation of the MDA, it will be necessary to ensure
that the proposals are not in conflict with an approved Masterplan
for the whole area.