North Area: Remaining Settlements & Site Proposals This part of the Local Plan Area is predominantly part of the Hampshire Downs Countryside Character Area that characterises the northern and western parts of East Hampshire. The valley of the northern River Wey is a distinctive landscape feature, along with undulating chalk downland. The geology is largely chalk, with some overlying clay-with-flint deposits. The landscape is predominantly agricultural, often arable farmland, with small areas of ancient and replanted woodland and chalk grassland. Outside of Alton, settlements are often small and dispersed in character – Ropley is a notable example of this in the west, whilst Upper and Lower Wield, along with Upper and Lower Froyle are notable examples elsewhere. Transport connections are focused in Alton as the largest settlement, but there is also a train station near Bentley and there are main road connections (the A339 and A31) dissecting the area, connecting it to the larger population centres of Basingstoke, Farnham, Guildford and Winchester. Population and household statistics that are available for a ‘best fit’ area from the 2021 Census provide the following overview of existing communities:
Sites within or close to the settlements of Bentley, Bentworth and Medstead have been identified as those preferred for development in this Draft Local Plan. Figure 12.26 identifies many of the principal environmental constraints for new development in the North Area.
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