Update on Tesco, works to Langstone Roundabout and Fasset plan for Langstone Rd.

- Fri 7th Jul 2006

The Havant Tesco application is live again. The current idea is for an upgraded store to replace the present one.
This would be in the same position but extended to the north, where there would be "concessions" (small shops)
along the Solent Road end of the store.
The main store would be raised on "stilts" and accessible via a lift, so that the space under the shopping area
could be used for parking etc.
The petrol station would stay where it is. It is not yet known if Tesco can make use of the De La Rue building.

The north side of Solent Road has room for a retail space the size of the Potash development
and would generate an increase in traffic. (The present buildings replace those which were demolished.)

Should the Tesco site and the retail park schemes come to fruition it will probably be necessary to increase the capacity of Langstone roundabout.

The central island would made more elliptical and a third lane would be built all round it.
The plans have been developed by WSP, the highways consultants for Solent Rd.

Following completion of a retail impact assessment by Tesco to show its customer catchment area
(to be examined by HBC's Forward Planning), the highways implications will now be looked at.

Francis Porter is the Highways Agency man for Hampshire.
Mott Gifford gives him policy advice and Parsons Birkenhoff deals with technical advice and computer models.
Porter is locally concerned with the A27, A3M and slip roads.
Langstone Roundabout is a Highways Agency junction.
The HA has the power to order HBC to refuse permission for an application.
The Highways Authority is at HCC level and HBC acts as an agent for HCC.

HCC appears to be satisfied with the Fasset plan but there is still concern from the Highways Agency
about the effect of traffic building up on the slipway,  More detail in a document which DT will copy to us.
It would be possible to put in a detector loop on the roundabout to alter the traffic lights in favour of southbound traffic.

This would have an adverse impact on Hayling a.m. commuter traffic and give right of way to those entering Langstone Technology Park. In effect the lights on the roundabout would link with the new lights. No allowance seems to be made for the fact that we have no alternative route out of Langstone and Hayling. What can we do?

If the Highways Agency is happy about the Fasset plan it will be difficult to argue against it on these grounds.

There is a predict and provide policy which means that the planners have to look ahead for 15 years
when advising for road works.
 This can mean that projects are over-engineered.
 This is what happened with the lights on the roundabout; which were not needed at the time.

Autoliv has 400 parking spaces and Scottish Southern Energy Call Centre will not be allowed to have more spaces.
Yellow lines will be put down all round Broadmarsh to prevent people parking in the road.
Extra employees will be called in when there is likely to be a heavy demand on power,
so there is likely to be flexible working.
When the employee base extends to 700 or more a bus service will be provided from Havant,
which will run every 20 minutes from 7 am to 7 pm.

 
 
TESCO in the news (again)

By forum user, Bruce_Bennett