What will some of the community benefits include?

The SGO will create a new community with a district shopping centre, new schools and jobs, both for people living in the new development and for residents in existing surrounding communities.  This puts more people within walking or cycling distance of a wider range of day to day facilities.  The Local Plan’s SGO policy requires development to be designed to create attractive walking and cycling routes.  The emerging master plan starts to illustrate how this can be done.

A public transport assessment indicates that the SGO will support new bus routes and the extension of existing bus routes.  The Local Plan’s SGO policy requires the development to be designed to facilitate bus services.

Hampshire County Council has asked that the proposals are strengthened in terms of the provision for walking, cycling and public transport.  As a result the Council has prepared a Cycling and Public Transport Strategy.  The Council has also proposed to the Planning Inspector modifications to the Local Plan’s policy to strengthen the requirements for improvements for walking, cycling and public transport.