Cowplain School could lose about a third of its playing field in plan to build a care home

The developers, Frontier Estates, are proposing the development of a 64-bed care homes with six assisted living houses on land at The Cowplain School in Waterlooville.

The developers and the school are listed as the applicants on Havant Borough Council’s planning portal - along with a separate application for the improvement of drainage on the playing fields.

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It was previously reported that the school hoped to sell off two areas of 'unused wasteland' to raise funds for improved facilties.

The proposed care home, allocated on the north-east corner of the playing fields, includes 64 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, associated amenity facilities as well as private residents’ gardens.

In addition to the care home, there will be four semi-detached and two detached assisted living homes on an adjacent site.

Planning documents state: ‘The proposal will be designed sympathetically with the use of external materials and varied eaves and ridge heights to break down the overall massing of the building.

‘Notably, the scheme will address the identified local need for elderly accommodation, and provide the opportunity for local residents to remain living locally when their care needs increase.

‘The proposal seeks to develop a site in a sustainable and sought-after location to deliver considerable visual, amenity and land quality benefits and enhance the ongoing environmental sustainability of the surrounding area.’

The application has attracted seven comments from the public, all of which object over the suitability of the site and traffic congestion.

One comment read: ‘Hart Plain Avenue is a very busy road and building a large care home will increase traffic plus on-road parking that will be dangerous for children going to school and pedestrians, cyclists.

‘Too much green space is being developed in our area and there is no consideration for the infrastructure to support extra development.

‘I object to this location as it's not suitable for a care home or a large multiple-people accommodation.’

Another wrote: 'The worst idea ever to build a care home on this land. This open land should remain as it is. The pupils will be affected as the space for outdoor exercise will be limited.'

The Cowplain School was approached for comment.