On Monday 7th November the County Council published the final draft of its Mineral and Waste Plan. This plan proposes to set up a minerals and waste processing depot at Basingstoke's railway sidings, just north of Churchill Way West. Road access is likely to be via north east of the site through the industrial estate railway, possibly onto Kingsclere Road.
Tesco's proposals to improve traffic flows, caused by the proposed new store on the ex-Smiths Industries site off Winchester Road, have received a major setback from Hampshire County Highways planners.
A recommendation backed by Hampshire Conservative Leader Ken Thornber to spend nearly £1/4million on web-broadcasting County Council and Cabinet meetings has been blasted as a waste of public money and a stab in the back for library and bus users facing cuts in services.
The County Council plans to permit a mineral/aggregates depot at Basingstoke railway sidings. There are concerns about its visibility from Brookvale plus the noise, dust and number of HGV vehicles.
Mark Buttress, who owns Jaybee's Mace shop at Kings Furlong Parade, has organised a petition to highlight that a Tesco store would threaten the survival of local shops.
"The traffic improvements proposed by Tesco for a new supermarket have hit trouble. In their present form, County engineers have made it clear that they cannot support Tesco's highway changes," writes councillor Brian Gurden.