Hamworthy Power Station Proposals - Frequently Asked Questions
About the Former Power Station site
It is a 13 hectare brown-field site fronting the Backwater Channel and Holes Bay in Hamworthy.
The site was formally a power station which was demolished in the early 1990's. Part of the site is also a former Shell oil depot.
Who has made the planning application?
The application has been made by two companies - Hamworthy Developments Ltd (owned by the developer Gallagher Estates) and Lands Improvement Holdings plc.
What is the application for?
They have applied to the Council for outline planning permission to develop the site.
The application includes:
- 1,674 homes (a mix of flats and houses)
- 4,000 square metres of commercial premises (retail/offices etc)
- a new public quayside and public squares
- a neighbourhood green
- community facilities including a play area
It was submitted with the following detailed technical documents: Environmental Statement; Transport Assessment; Flood Risk Assessment; & Sustainability Appraisal.
This application is the 3rd outline application submitted by the owners to develop the land. The two previous applications have been withdrawn.
Why is the land development important to Poole?
This land is where the new Twin Sails Bridge will link Poole town centre with Hamworthy. The development of the land will provide the following:
- a crucial link road to the bridge
- funding towards the bridge and highway network
- affordable housing
- a package of social and environmental benefits.
These will be secured through a legal agreement (section 106).
Who gives the go-ahead for the development?
The application will be decided by the Council's Planning Committee, made up of 10 Poole Councillors. The application will be assessed against the Council's planning policies in respect of the following criteria:
- Built form - does this fulfil the Council's requirements in terms of, for example, the number of residential units and the design of the buildings, streets and waterfront?
- Liveability - does this look to be a good place to live where a community can have access to the facilities that could reasonably be expected?
- Social and environmental benefits - does the development deliver the Council's requirements for infrastructure and affordable housing, and is it sufficiently viable financially to deliver these benefits.
When will the decision be made?
A date for the Planning Committee is yet to be set but it will be advertised and members of the public are welcome to attend.
The application will be carefully considered over the next few months. It is the biggest planning application ever received by the Borough of Poole since it became a unitary authority in 1997.
Who are Gallagher Estates?
Gallagher Estates are a private sector property development company that specialise in the acquisition of land to sell fully serviced plots to developers.
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