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Introduction11.1 This Chapter contains proposals relating to

Winchester and its immediate surroundings.These complement the general proposalscontained in previous Chapters, and shouldbe read in conjunction with them. Theproposals are organised under relevantsubject headings.

The Future of Winchester Study11.2 The Hampshire County Structure Plan 1996-

2011 (Review) policy E19 recognises thespecial character of Winchester. It seeks toensure that development in and aroundWinchester protects its heritage and requiresan assessment of environmental capacity tobe carried out so as to direct development tothe most suitable locations. In response tothis policy, the City Council has undertakenthe "Future of Winchester Study". The aim ofthe Study was also to consider the town'ssocial and economic assets, as well as itsenvironmental qualities, based on widediscussion and consultation, and to produce aframework to guide development in the longterm.

11.3 The Study took a four stage approach:

� understanding Winchester's social,economic and environmental character(what matters and why);

� identifying pressures for change thatcould affect this character;

� assessing possible future scenarios andtypes of development that could beaccommodated;

� translating the findings into guidelines forplanning and other strategies andmonitoring the results.

The Study was started in June 1998 and itsresults were endorsed by the City Council inJune 1999. It was published in 2000.

11.4 The Study identified a large number ofattributes that are important to Winchester'scharacter, but refined these down to a smallnumber of core themes and characteristics:

Strengths;

� its rich historic legacy;

� its setting;

� its small scale and compact centre;

� the green wedges, River Itchen, watermeadows and abundance of trees;

� its strong local economy;

Weaknesses;

� threats to air quality;

� impacts from the use of private cars;

� perceived lack of range of shoppingopportunities in the town centre;

� instances of social exclusion and pocketsof deprivation.

11.5 The Study then considered the changes thatWinchester would be under pressure toaccommodate, either resulting from thedesires of people living, working in or visitingthe town, or those imposed by wider changessuch as economic trends or technologicaladvances. This identified some conflictsbetween what people want, such as thedesire for less congestion and pollution butalso the ability to use their cars freely and topark easily and cheaply.

11.6 The results were drawn together in a"Framework for Change", proposing policyand management guidelines for all of thefeatures that are important in maintainingWinchester's special character. Where theseare related to planning issues they have beentaken into account in developing the LocalPlan's policies for Winchester. Some of the keyrecommendations, such as the need for anUrban Capacity Study, have already beenactioned but others may not be within thescope of the Local Plan to take forward andwill require action by other means.

11.7 The Study concluded that the objectives that required investment or developmentoutnumbered those that would constrain it, although many constraints were highlyimportant. Therefore, the overall aimproposed was to maintain Winchester as a"compact city" and make better use of whatthe town already has. There should be asequential approach to development,concentrating new development within theexisting boundary, particularly in andadjacent to the town centre (an approachthat is now incorporated into Governmentadvice, in PPG3). However, at some point,continued concentration of developmentwithin the town could start to destroy thequalities that the approach is seeking toprotect and there will need to be somecarefully planned growth.

11.8 Since the Study was undertaken theHampshire County Structure Plan Review has

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imposed a requirement to plan for a "reserve"MDA at Winchester City (North). The Futureof Winchester Study concluded that new development would need to besustainable and maintain Winchester's corecharacteristics. Whilst this is particularlyapplicable to maintaining the town's setting,this does not mean that all aspects of itssetting are sacrosanct. The approach toplanning for the possibility of majordevelopment at Winchester City (North) is set out in Chapter 12, New Communities.

Environment

Winchester's special character

11.9 Winchester's heritage and environment are ofinternational importance. The town centrewas the first in England to be designated aConservation Area. The town has a wealth ofhistoric buildings and sites, its archaeology isrich and varied, and its townscape is of thehighest quality. Additionally, the town is setwithin a landscape of particular importanceand attractiveness, and there are manylandscape and other features within the townthat are of great importance, such asridgelines, vegetation, and open areas. Thesequalities and the benefits of the town'ssetting and bio-diversity are detailed in TheFuture of Winchester Study.

11.10 Winchester's topography provides strongvisual links between the town and its setting.The surrounding countryside is visible frommany parts of the town, and there are manyviews into the town from outside.Accordingly, it is important that the manyindividual elements that combine toconstitute the special character and identityof the town itself are conserved. The Futureof Winchester Study includes a detailed"Framework for Change" (Future ofWinchester Study, Appendix F), which setsout in detail the characteristics which mattermost for Winchester's special character,examines the issues, trends and threats thatmay affect them and sets out policy andmanagement implications. These have beentaken into account in developing the LocalPlan's policies and are a valuable reference forconsidering development proposals, whetherthey be individual schemes or widerstrategies.

11.11 In addition, the City Council, along with anumber of partners, has commissioned theWinchester Conservation Area Project to

assist in the management and protection of the Conservation Area. The Project is in three parts, the Conservation Appraisal,the Conservation Area Review and the Conservation Area Strategy. TheConservation Area Appraisal assesses thequality and character of the ConservationArea, describing the town's development andidentifying historic assets and theircontribution to the environmental quality ofWinchester. The Conservation Area Reviewhighlights issues such as detracting featuresand opportunities for enhancement andincludes a review of boundary issues. TheConservation Area Review introduces anenvironmental capital matrix that relates tothe qualities of the area. The matrix is dividedinto eight categories, covering every aspectof the form of the town and its buildings, toenable proposals to be assessed against thevarious qualities of the Conservation Area.The Conservation Area Strategy sets targetsand priorities to assist the management ofthe Conservation Area and provides abenchmark for future reviews. It linksconservation issues with wider aspects,including traffic management, tourism, towncentre management and housing.

11.12 The Plan's general proposals relating todesign and development principles and thehistoric environment (Chapters 3 and 5) arealso aimed at conserving the specialattractiveness of Winchester.

Proposal W.1

In order to protect and enhance the special character of Winchester and itslandscape setting, development (includingredevelopment, extensions, alterations andchanges of use) which accords with otherrelevant proposals of this Plan will bepermitted, provided it respects theparticular architectural and historicqualities of the town as a whole and itslandscape setting. Development on steepslopes will only be permitted where theLocal Planning Authority is satisfied that itis appropriately designed for the siteconditions and will not detract from thequality of the townscape and landscape ofWinchester (see also Proposal DP.5).

11.13 Winchester is unique among the settlementsof the District in terms of its topography andthe spacious development on prominent,well-treed hills and slopes (e.g. St. Giles's Hill

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and Sleepers Hill). The characteristics of theseareas contribute to the town's character andshould be conserved. With dense tree cover,the steepest slopes are attractive features inviews within Winchester, as well as fromviewpoints outside the town. Any furtherdevelopment on the steepest slopes shouldbe carefully designed to protect thischaracter.

Housing11.14 The Urban Capacity Study indicates that

Winchester has considerable scope forhousing development within its defined built-up area (Proposal H.2). The Local Plan'sproposals promote the realisation of thiscapacity within a design-led approach, aimedat achieving high environmental quality. TheLocal Planning Authority will encourage there-use of upper floors within Winchestertown centre, and housing is likely to be anappropriate use in many cases (ProposalSF.3). In the town centre, and in other partsof the town well served by public transport,there is scope to optimise the capacity of residential development opportunitieswithout requiring large amounts of carparking provision.

Employment11.15 The pressures for office development in

Winchester resulted in office restraint policiesbeing introduced in the mid 1970s. Even so,office floorspace has increased considerably.The current Winchester District Local Planstrengthens office restraint policies and itspolicies resulted in a net reduction of officefloorspace in Winchester since it came intoeffect.

11.16 There remain concerns about the pressuresbrought about by office development, but amore flexible approach is considerednecessary in order to provide for small officeunits, particularly in Winchester town centre.Proposals E.3 and E.4 set out the approach tooffice development in Winchester, which seekto take advantage of the town centre'sopportunities for sustainable developmenton sites well served by public transport andaccessible by walking and cycling.

Town Centre, Shopping & Facilities &Services

11.17 Winchester town centre offers the mostcomprehensive range of facilities and services

available in the District. The Local Plan'ssequential approach to commercial andleisure development promotes suchdevelopment within the defined town centresof Winchester or the District's other maincentres (see Proposal SF.1). The Plan alsoseeks to resist the loss of such facilities atground floor level within the town centre,where small and specialist businessescontribute considerably to the town's specialcharacter.

11.18 In recent years a number of large publichouses have been developed in the towncentre, leading to concern about the effecton residential properties nearby. ProposalSF.2 seeks to ensure that new developmentwithin Use Class A3 avoids problems arisingfor neighbouring uses.

11.19 The continued economic health of the town centre is closely related to the vitalityand viability of the core shopping area. It is important to ensure Winchester remains attractive as a shopping destinationattracting large numbers of visitors. In orderto help support the primarily retail functionof the centre, for environmental as well aseconomic reasons, Proposal SF.4 seeks toprevent a net reduction in the amount ofretail floorspace within the defined PrimaryShopping Area.

New subtitleBroadway/Friarsgate

New paragraph The Broadway/Friarsgate area in centralWinchester, comprises the bus station, medical buildings, Sainsbury'ssupermarket, Kings Walk, Friarsgate multi-storey car park and the former Post Officesorting office. The area currentlycontributes little to the architectural andhistoric character of the City. Thedevelopment of the area will provide theopportunity to revitalise this part of thetown and to provide a mix of usesappropriate to it, with high quality urbandesign and architecture that enhances thetown centre.

New paragraph The area under consideration is boundedby Friarsgate to the north, Middle BrookStreet to the west, Silver Hill and part ofBroadway to the south and Busket Laneand the Brook Street culvert to the east.The site is in the centre of Winchester

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where Proposals E.3 and SF.1 - SF.3 apply.Kings Walk and the Middle Brook Streetparts of the site are within the PrimaryShopping Area, where Proposal SF.4applies. The site is within the WinchesterConservation Area and most of the site isin the floodplain of the River Itchen.

New Proposal

Development proposals for a mix of usesincluding housing, shopping, leisure,and possible civic, cultural andcommunity facilities will be permittedon approximately 2 hectares of landbetween the Broadway and Friarsgate,as identified on Inset Map 45, providedthat they:

(i) incorporate an appropriate mix ofuses that reinforce andcomplement the town centre,including housing, retail and othertown centre uses;

(ii) provide a new bus station, retainthe existing street market andprovide sites for the relocation ofexisting healthcare facilities, thePost Office, taxi rank and otherimportant facilities in the area;

(iii) provide the main vehicular accessto the multi-storey car park andservice areas from Tanner Street,with the closure of Silver Hill tothrough traffic, except whereaccess is required for servicing;

(iv) incorporate the design principlesset out in the draft Broadway/Friarsgate Planning Brief, retainingand enhancing key views andproviding a series of linked publicspaces;

(v) include a satisfactory archaeologicalassessment in accordance withProposal HE.1;

(vi) provide public art within thescheme and a 'percent for art'contribution in accordance withProposal DP.12;

(vii) make an appropriate contributionto the improvement of the publicrealm on the site and in thesurrounding area, in particular

Friarsgate, Middle Brook Street,and the Broadway;

(viii) provide appropriate on and off-site highway works and trafficmanagement arrangements toaccommodate a new bus stationand associated revised bus routesand stops in the town centre;

(ix) incorporate adequate floodprotection measures in accordancewith Proposals DP.10 and DP.11;

(x) include an Environmental ImpactAssessment and TransportAssessment;

(xi) accord with Proposals DP.3, HE.1,HE.5, the draft Broadway/Friarsgate Planning Brief and otherrelevant proposals of this Plan.

New paragraph The Council has prepared a draft PlanningBrief for the site in conjunction with keystakeholders, which has been publishedfor public consultation. This Brief builds on an earlier draft that was subject topublic consultation in June 1999. It alsoincorporates the findings of the 'Future ofWinchester Study' (see paragraphs 11.2 -11.8 of this Plan), where relevant.Development should be in accordancewith the principles outlined in the Briefand potential developers should be guided by the Brief when formulatingtheir proposals. The Council will expectdevelopers to establish and maintain aconstructive dialogue with all stakeholdersthroughout the design and construction ofthe development.

New paragraph The development should significantlyextend the range and quality of retailprovision in the town so as to complementand reinforce the shopping function of thetown. Retail provision should reflect thefloorspace needs in central Winchester forconvenience and comparison goods as identified in the Winchester Retail Study 2003 . The site should ideallyaccommodate all of the identified need foradditional town centre comparisonfloorspace and the majority of theidentified need for convenience shopping.

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New paragraph Residential provision should assist inbringing life and security to the centre andhelp to reduce the need to travel. Thehousing should be integrated with theother uses on the site and should meet therequirements of the Plan regardinghousing mix and affordable housingprovision. The site is likely to have capacityfor a substantial amount of residentialaccommodation and is therefore includedas a residential allocation within Table 2 ofthe Plan (Housing Supply from AllocatedSites).

New paragraph The site provides an opportunity forincreasing the range of indoor leisurefacilities in the town centre. The Council iscurrently undertaking an assessment ofleisure needs, which will identify the needfor indoor leisure provision in centralWinchester and the likely form and scalethat this should take. In advance of theresults of this study, any proposals will berequired to demonstrate a need forprovision and that the requirements of the'sequential test' (PPG6) have beenfollowed.

New paragraph A new bus station is required on the site.Developers will need to work closely withbus operators and the County Council toachieve a modern passenger-friendlystation.

New paragraph The site is likely to be of archaeologicalimportance and redevelopment offers the opportunity to investigate thearchaeology and history of the area. Theimportance of this central site, within theConservation Area, means that a schemeof the highest architectural quality isrequired. The Council will expect anenhanced public realm comprising linkedpublic spaces of attractive and variedmaterials incorporating public works ofart. Public links to the Itchen should beopened up and enhanced.

New paragraph Drainage is an important issue on the site.There are several open and culvertedwatercourses running through it and the eastern part of the site is within the floodplain of the River Itchen.Accordingly, a Flood Risk Assessment andadequate protection measures will need to

be agreed with the Environment Agency(see Proposals DP.10 and DP.11).

Recreation & Tourism11.20 There is a serious shortfall of recreational

space in Winchester, amounting to adeficiency of 6.4 hectares of play space and20.7 hectares of sports provision. Existingrecreational facilities should be retained, andimproved wherever possible. Importantrecreational areas within the defined built-uparea and within adjacent areas of countrysideare subject to the provisions of Proposal RT.2.Where deficiencies in the standard or qualityof provision are identified in these spaces,through the Open Space Strategy, newdevelopment will be expected to contributeto improvements in accordance with ProposalRT.3 of this Plan.

11.21 The most substantial shortfall of provision isin sports grounds, and the Governmentconsiders that the provision of adequateplaying fields should be accorded highpriority. Additional housing developmenttaking place within the built-up area in thisPlan period will increase this need. ProposalRT.4 therefore allocates areas of land on theedge of the town primarily for playing fieldprovision. These are at Bushfield Camp, northof Harestock Road, and in the CourtenayRoad area (see Proposal RT.4 and paragraph

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“The Bushfield Camp area is the most appropriatelocation for playing fields”.

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9.24) and are identified on Inset Map 45.Children's play facilities should generally beprovided within developed areas, inaccordance with Proposal RT.5, althoughthere may be scope for facilities for olderchildren in association with sports groundusage.

11.22 The Bushfield Camp area is the mostappropriate location for additional playingfields, and should be the first priority for suchdevelopment. It is therefore subject to theprovisions of Proposal W.2 as well as RT.4.The area could accommodate a considerablepart of the shortfall in provision, but it shouldalso provide opportunities for informalrecreation and possibly small-scale visitorrelated uses, as set out in the Bushfield CampStudy (Winchester City Council, 1997). Thearea also offers the opportunity for thedevelopment of a Park and Ride car park (seeProposal W.3).

Proposal W.2

At Bushfield Camp, within the area definedon Inset Map 45, planning permission willbe granted for the provision of facilities foropen sports, informal recreation and small-scale tourism-related uses, provided that:

(i) proposals include the provision of asubstantial area of sports pitches toserve the general recreational needsof Winchester, and associated areasof informal recreation in appropriatelocations;

(ii) additional planting is provided tominimise the visual impact of thefacilities in views from thesurrounding countryside andmeasures are taken to protect areasof nature conservation interest;

(iii) vehicular access is provided fromBadger Farm Road, along with goodpublic transport facilities, andfootpath and cycleway links to thesurrounding residential areas;

(iv) the area is planned and managed toensure that the uses appropriate tothe various parts of the site are inter-related and take proper account ofthe findings of the Bushfield CampStudy;

(v) the development accords withproposals RT.4, C.4, DP.3, RT.7, RT.8,

and other relevant proposals of thisPlan.

11.23 The Bushfield Camp area is adjacent to theurban edge of Winchester, and part of alarger Local Gap. The former Army camp areaprovides an extensive area of level land thatwould form the main area suitable foradditional playing fields, but there are anumber of other issues relating to this areaand the adjacent countryside.

11.24 The Bushfield Camp Study identified areassuitable for formal and informal recreation, and the potential for any associatedrecreation/tourism facilities. The provision ofaccess to the site was examined, includingfootpath and cycle access from adjacentresidential areas, and public transport routes.The Study concluded that a Park and Ride facility could be developed in theBushfield area, in association withrecreational uses (see Proposal W.3). TheWinchester Movement and Access Planpromotes such a development, which isprogrammed from 2003 onwards.

11.25 The Study's proposals take particular accountof the area's prominent and sensitive locationand the need for care to ensure that facilitiesare integrated into the local landscape.Recreational facilities provided shouldgenerally be open uses of a low key nature, soas not to be intrusive in wider views. Theelevated position of the site, the exceptionalviews over the Itchen Valley, and areas ofregenerating downland vegetation at themargins, provide potential for informalrecreation. This could include the provision ofa landscaped or nature conservation areabetween the original camp and Badger FarmRoad.

11.26 The Local Planning Authority will ensure thatthe uses proposed for the various parts of thearea are appropriate to its character and thatthey interrelate well. It will, therefore, be necessary to establish comprehensiveprinciples of development for the entire area,in accordance with Proposals DP.1 and DP.3,prior to planning permission being grantedfor any aspect of the development. Theprinciples should demonstrate that fullaccount has been taken of the conclusions ofthe Bushfield Camp Study, and should beintegrated with a detailed Management Planfor the whole area.

11.27 Winchester is one of the premier touristattractions in the country in view of itsimportant heritage and the City Councilencourages the town's role as a cultural andleisure centre for the District. Many facilitiesare used by local residents and visitors to theDistrict and the Plan allows for the range oftourist attractions, leisure facilities and visitoraccommodation to be developed andextended (see Chapter 9, Recreation andTourism).

Transport11.28 The Winchester Movement and Access Plan

promotes a balanced transport strategy forWinchester that aims to overcome problems of congestion and pollution. It has beendeveloped jointly by the City Council andHampshire County Council and is one of anumber of Area Transport Strategiespromoted through the Hampshire LocalTransport Plan.

11.29 In order to reduce the adverse impact oftraffic, the following objectives have beenadopted for the Winchester Movement andAccess Plan:

� To provide pleasant pedestrian areas withsafe footways and road crossings, payingparticular attention to the needs ofpeople with mobility impairments;

� To reduce traffic in the central area by providing Park and Ride servicesoperating from car parks located atstrategic sites close to major accesscorridors on the outskirts of the town;

� To improve the efficiency andattractiveness of public transport byintroducing bus priority measures so thatbuses become a viable and preferredoption to the car;

� To reduce traffic speeds, accidents and manage demand through trafficmanagement and environmentalimprovement schemes which provide asafer and more attractive environment forpedestrians and cyclists;

� To encourage more and safer cycling byproviding a comprehensive network ofon-road and off-road cycle routes servingthe city centre, other key employmentsites, schools and colleges;

� To provide better information to travellersthrough the introduction of intelligenttransport systems which assist inmanaging the network, the managementof transport demand and to providetravellers with real time informationenabling them to make informed travelchoices.

11.30 The Local Transport Plan sets out a detailedprogramme for the Winchester Movementand Access Plan for the period to 2006. It hasalso considered, in principle, the measures tobe implemented over the period up to 2011,the period of this Plan.

Park and Ride

11.31 Park and Ride is an important part of the Winchester Movement and Access Plan strategy. It will reduce the number of people bringing their cars into centralWinchester, resulting in significantenvironmental benefits. This will allow theimplementation of measures to reduce theimpact of the car in the town centre andreallocate road space in favour of publictransport, walking and cycling.

Proposal W.3

Planning permission will be granted forPark and Ride car parks in or aroundWinchester, linked to the city centre byexclusive bus services with bus priorityschemes, provided that:

(i) the proposal would not be undulyintrusive or harmful to the speciallandscape setting of Winchester;

(ii) suitable means of access can beprovided for cars and buses and any

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“Park and Ride is an important part of theWinchester Movement and Access Plan”

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associated traffic managementmeasures can be accommodatedsatisfactorily;

(iii) the development accords withProposal DP.3 and other relevantproposals of this Plan.

If schemes are proposed outside the policyboundary of Winchester, the Local PlanningAuthority will need to be satisfied that thebenefits of the scheme outweigh conflictswith countryside or other proposals of thePlan. Only facilities essential to thesatisfactory and successful operation ofPark and Ride will be permitted in suchlocations.

A Park and Ride car park and associatedinfrastructure will be permitted at BushfieldCamp, in association with recreationdevelopment planned for this site (seeProposal W.2).

11.32 The Local Transport Plan has identified theneed for an 800 to 1,000 space Park and Ridesite to the south of Winchester and has bid for funding to complete the scheme by2005. The Bushfield Camp Study and otherassessments undertaken since have shownthat Bushfield Camp is the most appropriatesite for such a development and that this should preferably be undertaken inconjunction with the recreation developmentproposed (see proposal W.2). This willsupplement the existing Park and Ride facilityat Bar End and forms part of a long-termstrategy of providing Park and Ride car parkson all the main radial routes into Winchester.

11.33 The Local Transport Plan has also identifiedthe need to provide at least two further Parkand Ride sites within the next 10 years. Itsuggests that a site in the Winnall area couldserve traffic from the M3 Junction 9 and thearea east of Winchester and another site tothe north of the town could serve traffic fromthe A34 and Andover to the north. Nospecific locations have been identified at thisstage.

11.34 It may not be possible to find suitable sitesfor Park and Ride car parks within the built-uparea of the city. The Proposal, therefore,would allow for sites to be developed in areassubject to countryside policies, providing astrong justification for the provision is putforward, sufficient to outweigh otherobjections.

11.35 Particular account will be taken of the speciallandscape setting of Winchester and the needto avoid undue intrusion into it. For thisreason, it is not likely that suitable sites willbe identified in the Conservation Area or theEast Hampshire Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty. Where Park and Ride car parks haveto be located in the countryside, the facilitiesprovided should be limited to those essentialfor the successful operation of the scheme.

Town centre traffic management

Proposal W.4

In order to enable traffic managementmeasures to be introduced to reduce motortraffic in the central area and eventually toeliminate most traffic from the areabounded by North Walls, Eastgate Street,the Kingsgate area and Sussex Street,development which would generatesignificant additional cross-town privatevehicle traffic will not be permitted.

11.36 A key objective of the Winchester Movementand Access Plan is to reduce traffic volumes in central Winchester by providing additionalPark and Ride facilities and other measures.This will lead to significant environmentalimprovements and allow the provision of additional bus priority measures andschemes to improve safety and amenity forpedestrians and cyclists. It is thereforeimportant that new development in centralWinchester does not generate significantadditional volumes of vehicular traffic.Central Winchester does, however, offer agood opportunity for the provision ofdevelopments that can make full use ofaccess by Park and Ride, public transport,walking and cycling to minimise the need fordirect access by car.

Parking controls and servicing

Proposal W.5

In order to assist in reducing traffic flows inthe town centre and to encourage the useof Park and Ride, particularly for long stayparking, the development of additionalpublic car parks in Winchester will not bepermitted, other than in accordance withProposal W.3.

11.37 Car parking controls are an important part ofthe strategy to reduce vehicular activity in thetown centre. Whilst car parking will continue

to be provided, particularly for short stay usessuch as shopping, the price structure andother controls will encourage the use of Park and Ride facilities as an alternative.Consequently, no additional public city centrecar parks will be provided and some existinglong stay car parking spaces will bewithdrawn or converted to short-stay use asPark and Ride develops. Park and Ride carparks and associated bus services will be runas an integral part of the overall publicparking service in the town.

11.38 Park and Ride is not intended to increase thestock of public parking in Winchester. Towncentre parking, especially for long-stay use,will be managed to ensure that, overall,current levels of parking are maintained. Insome cases individual car park layouts may berevised to reduce the number of spaces, andin other cases car parks may be redevelopedfor a mix of uses, which may or may notinclude parking. The car parks that currentlyappear to have scope for redevelopment areUpper Brook Street, Middle Brook Street(retaining short-stay parking), Chesil(surface), Durngate, Worthy Lane/CattleMarket, Gladstone Street and St Peters.Further studies will be undertaken to assesswhich, if any, should be redeveloped.

Proposal W.6

Residential development will be permittedin Winchester providing parking provisionis limited to current standards. In the towncentre in particular, minimal, if any, parkingwill be permitted on-site, taking account ofthe on-street parking situation in the areaand the scope to control residents' parking.

Non-residential development (includingredevelopment, extensions or changes of use) will be permitted providing parkingprovision does not exceed minimumoperational levels and appropriate financialcontributions are made to assistimplementation of measures in theWinchester Movement and Access Plan.

11.39 The Hampshire Parking Strategy andStandards 2001 aim to minimise the amountof on-site parking in new developments,particularly where a site is well served orcapable of being well served by publictransport, walking and cycling. This isconsistent with current Government policy.Within the central core of Winchester, a key

objective of the Winchester Movement andAccess Plan is to reduce traffic volumes.Minimising on-site parking provision in newdevelopments is one of the ways that this canbe achieved.

11.40 Although the Plan seeks to control publicparking and future private non-residentialparking, existing private non-residentialparking comprises around half of all parkingspaces in the town centre. The County andCity Councils are working in partnership toencourage local employers to producestrategies for staff travel and car parkingwhich discourage access to Winchester by carand encourage the use of public transport,car sharing, walking, cycling and Park andRide.

11.41 Government policy encourages reduced levelsof on-site parking provision in new residentialdevelopments and this is reflected in theHampshire Parking Strategy and Standards2001. For town centre sites the Governmentindicates that on-site parking provisionshould be reduced significantly. Therefore,within Winchester town centre, the LocalPlanning Authority will seek reduced levels ofparking. The town centre, as referred to inProposal W.6 is as defined by Proposal SF.1(Chapter 8). Account will also be taken ofaccessibility to public transport and otherfactors, allowing applicants and the LocalPlanning Authority to agree satisfactorymeans of providing car parking byconsidering each site on its merits.

Proposal W.7

Commercial development will be permittedin Winchester provided that it is designedand located to minimise the impact ofservice vehicles. and accords withProposal DP.3 and other relevantproposals of this Plan.

11.42 The Local Planning and Highway Authoritieswill seek to minimise the need for largeservice vehicles in the town centre. However,this must be balanced against therequirement to maintain a vibrant retail andcommercial centre and such developments bytheir nature will require servicing access. Anynew development should provide adequateservicing arrangements where this is possible.In addition, the Highway Authority willcontinue to review controls on the timing ofservice deliveries and encourage new meansof delivery. The Winchester Freight Forum will

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investigate the feasibility of a "trans-shipmentdepot" for the longer term.

Environmental traffic management

Proposal W.8

New development which accords withother relevant proposals of this Plan will bepermitted in Winchester, provided that itdoes not conflict with environmentalimprovement schemes and trafficmanagement measures proposed in the citycentre.

11.43 In order to maximise the environmentalbenefits of the Winchester Movement andAccess Plan's strategy, traffic calming andenvironmental improvement measures will beintroduced on streets in the town centre.

Pedestrians, cyclists and the disabled

11.44 The Winchester Movement and Access Planaims to improve road safety. The generalproposals for traffic management and trafficcalming will improve safety, comfort andconvenience for pedestrians in the towncentre. In addition to these measures, thePlanning and Highway Authorities willcontinue to monitor pedestrian flows onradial roads and provide suitable crossingfacilities, where justified.

11.45 The Local Authorities will seek to provide,wherever possible and feasible, safe,convenient and pleasant conditions forpedestrians and cyclists. Existing cycle routesin the town will be extended. The provision ofcycle parking facilities in the town centre willalso be considered with environmentalimprovement and development schemes intown centre streets. Short-term extensions tothe cycle network are likely to be withinexisting public highways.

11.46 There is a reasonable footpath network inand around Winchester, although there areplaces where there is conflict betweenpedestrians and vehicles, for example, on CityBridge and in some of the narrower streets.There are a number of opportunities to provideattractive new footpaths or to improveconditions for pedestrians.

Proposal W.9

New footways/footpaths are proposed inthe following locations:

(i) from Jewry Street (north side of No.

28) to North Walls (west side ofCounty Reference Library);

(ii) from Chesil Street to The Weirs;

(iii) from Water Close to Wolvesey Castleand The Weirs;

(iv) from Durngate westwards alongsidethe School of Art to North WallsPark;

(v) from Durngate Bridge along the eastbank of the River Itchen to join withfootpath No. 9 (completion of partiallink).

11.47 The aim of Proposal W.9 (i) is to achieve afootway link between Canister House in JewryStreet, to North Walls, adjacent to theReference Library. This would provide aconvenient route separated from vehiculartraffic.

11.48 The proposed footpath from Chesil Street to The Weirs (Proposal W.9 [ii]) may beincorporated in any development orredevelopment proposals, using the passageof No. 14 Chesil Street and crossing the RiverItchen. Such a route would provide a saferalternative to City Bridge for pedestrians fromthe Chesil Car Park and properties in the area.

11.49 Proposal W.9 (iii) proposes a footpath fromWater Close to the Castle and The Weirs,which would link the Castle and Cathedralareas with the River and provide an attractiveand useful link, whilst avoiding the Bishop'sresidence.

11.50 The proposed footpath between Durngateand North Walls Park (W.9 [iv]) would providean attractive and useful riverside walk aroundpart of the edge of the town centre.

11.51 Much of the footpath link proposed betweenDurngate and footpath No.9 (Proposal W.9[v]) exists already. The completion of themissing part, to the rear of commercialproperties on Easton Lane, would extend thisattractive riverside walk.

Proposal W.10

A new bridleway is proposed betweenBarfield Close, along the former railway lineand viaduct, and alongside the Bushfieldlink road, to Bushfield roundabout.

11.52 A bridleway currently exists between Hockleyand Garnier Road, running between the

Itchen Navigation and the disused railway.The route is narrow in places, with potentialfor conflict between cyclists and horse riders.The proposed alternative route would createa safe cycling route into the town centre fromCompton and Hockley, as well as arecreational route linking to the widerbridleway network. Although it is currentlyproposed to provide a route adjacent to theBushfield link road, other alternative routeswill be investigated.

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“The Local Authority has worked closely with the Department of Health toestablish a new use for the former Knowle Hospital buildings.”