The meeting will take place at the Community Centre on Tuesday 28th April at 8.15pm. It has been called in light of new information received from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Councillors will use the session to reassess the current approach to the plan and decide on the most appropriate way forward. The Neighbourhood Development Plan plays a key role in shaping how the village grows, including housing, infrastructure, and local priorities.

Residents with an interest in the future development of the village are expected to follow the outcome closely, as any decisions made could have a lasting impact on Overton’s long-term planning strategy.

The development will see a 19-hectare site at Sapley Lane transformed by Bargate into a housing scheme alongside a large country park. Councillors had refused the plans in September 2025, raising concerns about the impact on the landscape.

However, the Planning Inspectorate ruled that any harm would be limited and localised, and that the benefits – particularly the delivery of affordable housing and new green space – would clearly outweigh those concerns.

Bargate’s managing director, Mark White, said the decision brings long-awaited progress. He said the scheme will deliver much-needed homes while returning most of the land to the community as open space.

The revised plans include a commitment to 40 per cent affordable housing, addressing one of the council’s earlier objections. This will be delivered by Vivid, Bargate’s parent company, with most of the homes offered for rent and the rest through intermediate options.

Around 80 per cent of the site will remain as green open space, including a 15-hectare country park. Plans for the park feature natural play areas, picnic spots, seating, and new planting, along with rewilding to support wildlife. The scheme is expected to deliver a biodiversity net gain of more than 100 per cent.

The homes themselves will be built to be zero-carbon ready, with features such as air-source heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging points.

Local amenities, including shops, allotments, playing fields, a doctor’s surgery and the primary school, are all within walking distance, with the railway station a short cycle away.

A more detailed Reserved Matters application, setting out the final design of the development, is due to be submitted later this year.

The decision was made during a planning committee meeting at the council’s offices last night, where councillors voted against the proposed development from Bargate Homes.

Local campaigners had raised concerns over the scale of the scheme, the potential impact on local infrastructure, and the effect on the character of the surrounding area. The refusal marks a significant win for those opposing large-scale housing projects in the village.

However, the fight may not be over. Bargate Homes is expected to appeal the decision in the coming months, leaving residents braced for the next stage in what has already been a long-running battle.

For now though, the refusal represents a moment of relief for campaigners who have argued the development would have changed the landscape of Overton for good.

The Development Control (DC) meeting will take place on Wednesday, 24th September 2025, at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council offices. The application in question is 24/01827/OUT.

Local campaigners are urging villagers to attend as observers in support of those opposing the development. Demonstrating strong community concern could be pivotal in influencing the DC committee’s decision.

The Parish Council emphasizes that this is a critical opportunity for Overton residents to show that the community does not support building on greenfield sites and to make their voices heard in the planning process.

For anyone concerned about the impact on local green spaces, attendance is strongly encouraged.

The mill, which was owned by historic security paper firm Portals, closed its doors in 2022. Now, property developer Commercial Estates Group (CEG) is working in partnership with Portals to submit an outline planning application to redevelop the brownfield site.

In a letter to residents, CEG described the site as “a fantastic opportunity” to address local housing needs. The proposal includes new homes set within green spaces, with footpaths, cycle routes, and areas designed to support biodiversity.

“The development will provide a mix of housing types, sizes and tenures,” the letter explained, “helping young people get a foot on the property ladder, while also offering options for families and those looking to downsize.”

CEG says the planning application will be supported by detailed environmental and technical assessments, with a formal Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Request to determine what studies are required.

As part of the proposals, the developer has committed to contributing towards local infrastructure — including schools and healthcare — where needed. Plans also include sustainable transport improvements to better connect the area.

The Overton Mill site has already been highlighted in both the Basingstoke and Deane Draft Local Plan and Overton Parish Council’s draft neighbourhood plan as a potential spot for future housing growth.

Before submitting the planning application, CEG is inviting feedback from the local community. A public consultation event will be held on Wednesday, June 25, from 4pm to 8pm at Overton Community Centre on Winchester Street. Project team members will be on hand to answer questions.

Those unable to attend in person can view the exhibition materials and submit comments online from Monday, June 23, via overtonmillfuture.co.uk. Feedback is open until the end of July.

Portals has deep roots in the area, with its origins tracing back to 1712 when Henry Portal established a mill at Bere Mill on the River Test. The Overton site opened in 1922 and at its peak employed around 300 people, producing over 14,000 tonnes of banknote paper each year — mainly for major client De La Rue.

But in 2022, Portals announced the mill’s closure, citing rising costs and the ongoing financial strain of the pandemic, describing the operation as “no longer viable.”

Now, after more than a century of industrial legacy, the site may be heading for a new chapter — one with homes, green spaces, and a community-driven vision at its heart.

The 1,835-acre estate—marketed jointly by Savills and Knight Frank—is one of the most significant country homes to hit the market in recent years. Nestled in the Hampshire countryside, the 18th-century mansion boasts 11 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, four flats, an indoor swimming pool, tennis court, squash court, and sweeping parkland.

Described by Savills as “one of the most important estates in the south of England,” Laverstoke Park combines Georgian grandeur with modern luxury and rural enterprise. The estate includes 17 additional lodges, cottages and farmhouses, many built in a distinctive red-brick Gothic style.

At the heart of the home is a summer dining room, with custom-made silk walling from nearby Whitchurch Silk Mill and three full-length arched windows. Elsewhere, a vast dining room capable of seating up to 70 guests sits under a dramatic glass ceiling, while a series of internal and external courtyards add to the estate’s character and charm.

The estate has a rich history. First acquired in 1539 by Tudor courtier Richard Andrews, the site was later bought by the Portal family, who commissioned the mansion in 1798. Scheckter purchased the estate in 1996, undertaking what has been described as an “extensive and sympathetic” restoration.

More recently, the estate became home to Laverstoke Park Farm, Scheckter’s ambitious organic farming venture specialising in buffalo dairy. However, the farm ceased buffalo operations in early 2024 after what the company described as “unprecedented levels of cost increases”—including a doubling of energy prices.

Despite the closure of the farm, elements of the estate remain active. The composting site continues to operate, and the estate remains the spiritual home of CarFest, the annual family motoring and music festival created by DJ Chris Evans. The estate agents have confirmed that the land used for the festival is not included in the sale.

Buyers will be able to acquire the estate in its entirety or split into three parcels, with the house, park and home farm listed for a separate guide price of £35 million.

Initial plans for multiple dwellings were scaled back following public feedback, with permission eventually granted for a single property. However, recent activity on the site and the clearing of land suggest that new proposals are now in motion — this time seeking approval for up to eight separate plots.

Local residents fear the change represents a significant shift from the original agreement and could increase traffic congestion and strain village infrastructure. Some are accusing the developers of attempting to bypass the community’s wishes through what they describe as a “sneaky” amendment to the original plan.

Adding to the controversy is the timing of the consultation window, which runs from April 10 to April 23 — a period that includes the Easter break when many school-run parents may be away or less likely to notice the posted notices.

“This feels like a deliberate move to limit objections,” said one concerned resident. “It’s slipped in quietly during a time when many families are away, and it risks going unnoticed until it’s too late.”

Residents are being urged to review the proposal and submit any comments or objections before the April 23 deadline by clicking https://publicaccess.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=SUFZ7NCR0AQ00&activeTab=summary

Many village residents have objected to the plans, which have been submitted by Bargate Homes.

To add your voice to the planning application, please click here to visit the Basingstoke Council planning website and submit your comments.

The consultation is your chance to get involved in shaping the future of the borough, including where new homes will be built and how we protect our environment.

There is an online event to provide information on the draft plan’s approach to climate change to be held on Microsoft Teams on Monday February 5th from 6pm-7pm. Registration for this event is mandatory, and can be done by clicking here. This event will include a presentation by the council’s consultants, Introba, on the proposed energy standards policy and the requirement for net zero homes.

If you missed the drop-in session in Overton last week, there’s one on Wednesday 7 February from 2pm to 8pm at St Mark’s Church, Homestead Road, Kempshott.

Documents can be viewed at the Civic Offices in London Road, Basingstoke, from 8.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday and in libraries.

Response forms are available at the council offices or can be downloaded from the website and returned by email to local.plan@basingstoke.gov.uk or by post to: Civic Offices, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 4AH.

Alternatively call 01256 844844 to be sent a response form.

Eight sites across Basingstoke and Deane have been earmarked for major development as Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council ends its consultation on local plan updates.

The 30 acre mill, located near the railway station, was opened in 1922 and closed in 2022.

At a meeting of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 9 January, councillors will decide if the draft plan update is ready to move to the next stage, which will give local residents the chance to have their say.

The framework that will guide development and planning decisions in the borough until 2040 is set to be approved for public consultation early next year.

Noel and Marianne Preece have submitted a proposal for homes on land to the west of Dellands Lane, with open spaces incorporated, as well as rerouting of a section of the current road.

The proposed plan for the site will include six two-bed homes, seven three-beds and four four-beds.

Residents have expressed their disappointment, with some pointing out that homes could be built on the unoccupied brownfield site at Portals Mill, which closed last year.

A planning document states: “The site is served by Dellands Lane and Dellands and is well connected to community facilities and services which are within walking and cycling distance. Even though Dellands Lane is quite narrow, drivers continue using it as a rat-run to avoid heavy traffic that is occasionally caused by roadworks or slow traffic lights.

“The site currently exists as grazing pasture on the edge of the village of Overton. It is just under a hectare in area and is bounded by mature hedgerows and vegetation on all sides. There are Public Rights of Way beyond the southern and western boundaries.”

You can view the application on the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council website.