The Regulatory Committee of Hampshire County Council met to discuss planning applications for the Nursling Recycling Facility and the Squabb Wood Landfill Site, as well as receive a monitoring and enforcement update. Councillors granted permission for variations to conditions at the Humbly Grove Oilfield, and ultimately voted to refuse a retrospective planning application for the Shedfield Equestrian Centre. The committee approved a variation to the hours of working at the Nursling Recycling Facility, and approved the final restoration of the Squabb Wood Landfill Site, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement¹.

Squabb Wood Landfill Site

The committee approved the final restoration of the former Squabb Wood Landfill site, located west of Romsey, subject to conditions and a Section 106 agreement. The proposal involves a variation of conditions 1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 13, and 24 of planning permission 13/00208/CMAS, and the removal of conditions 14 and 19, to enable completion of restoration works.

The Section 106 agreement will secure:

• A routing agreement restricting the use of Gardens Lane and Embley Lane, requiring drivers not to wait on the A27² and restricting access to the A27 for local supplies only.

• A 50-year aftercare management plan for heathland and acid grassland areas, and 30 years for the rest of the site, excluding pasture grassland.

The restoration scheme aims to deliver environmental and landscape benefits, including improved biodiversity, enhanced visual quality, and resolution of historic drainage problems. The restoration will be phased over six years, representing an extension of time, as the extant planning permission required restoration to be completed by 31 December 2024.

Nursling Recycling Facility

The committee approved a planning application for the variation of condition 4 (hours of working) of Planning Permission 22/00174/CMAS at the existing Nursling Recycling Facility, Lee Lane, Nursling. The rationale behind the proposed variation is to allow a total of six HGV³ in movements and six HGV out movements on public holidays (excluding Christmas Day and Boxing Day). This is needed to facilitate the waste collection arrangements of Southampton City Council, specifically the transfer and disposal of residual waste collected by the Commercial Waste Services.

The application was brought to the Regulatory Committee at the request of Test Valley Borough Council's Councillor Philip Bundy, as local residents had expressed concerns. Key issues raised included the justification for HGV movements on public holidays and the potential noise, dust, and vibration impacts from traffic.

The updated condition 4 now reads:

No commercial vehicles shall enter or leave the site except between the following hours: 0630-1930 Monday to Friday and 0700-1300 Saturday and no plant or machinery shall be operated except between the following hours: 0700-1800 Monday to Friday and 0700-1300 Saturday. There shall be no working including HGV movements and site operations on Sundays or recognised Public Holidays. This is except for 12 HGV movements (6 in and 6 out) that are permitted to enter and leave the site on recognised Public Holidays 0900-1700. There shall be no vehicle movements on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

Humbly Grove Oilfield

The Committee received a report from the Director of Universal Services concerning 11 separate planning applications relating to the Humbly Grove Oilfield, Weston Common, The Avenue, Lasham. Ten of the applications sought the variation and/or removal of conditions on previous temporary permissions to enable the continued use of the site for oil extraction and storage, alongside other ancillary operations. The additional application sought approval for the installation of a new oil storage tank within the main Humbly Grove operational site. Each application was agreed unanimously.

Shedfield Equestrian Centre

The Committee received a report from the Director of Universal Services concerning a retrospective planning application for the change of use to open storage of recycled aggregate materials; the retention of an ancillary office, workshop and hardstanding; and associated works at Shedfield Equestrian Centre, Lockhams Recycling Ltd, Botley Road, Shedfield.

Objections had been received from Winchester City Council and Shedfield Parish Council. Deputations were received from a local resident, Joanna Harvey, Councillor Vivian Achwal from Winchester City Council, and Francesca Byrne and Ian Donohue from Shedfield Parish Council and Southern Planning Practice, respectively, all in opposition to the recommendation to the committee. In addition, a written submission from Councillor Malcolm Wallace was read in opposition to the recommendation.

The committee voted to refuse planning permission due to the location of the proposal not being adequately justified in terms of its demonstrable market need for being located in this countryside location, and the proposal likely resulting in an unacceptable impact on the character of this rural locality.

Monitoring and Enforcement Update

The Committee received a Monitoring and Enforcement report from the Director of Universal Services, which summarised work undertaken by the Development Management team (including monitoring and enforcement) during the period March 2025 – May 2025. The Regulatory Committee noted the contents of the report.