Consultation launched over proposed 'bespoke' houses and retirement complex at Warsash Maritime Academy in Hampshire

A public consultation will showcase 80 ‘high-quality’ residentials and a 44 room retirement building for the over 60s.

The consultation aims to gather and respond to feedback from the local community in Warsash before the planning application is submitted to Fareham Borough Council.

People can view and comment on the draft proposals from now until December 5.

The companies orchestrating the new development are Metis Homes and McCarthy Stone.

Metis Homes, a privately-owned homebuilder in Winchester, is in charge of the housing development, while McCarthy Stone will organise the construction of the retirement homes.

Adam O’Brien, managing director at Metis Homes, said: ‘As a business, we place significant emphasis on quality over quantity, and we take community consultation during the planning process very seriously to ensure our development proposals are well informed by local expertise and priorities.

‘This public exhibition is an opportunity to display our proposals for the site and secure feedback from the local community and stakeholders which, where possible, would be fed into the final plans before we submit a full planning application.’

Southampton Solent University (SSU), which owns the academy, made the upper campus of the site available for redevelopment as part of its Maritime Strategy 2020.

The strategy aims to make more housing available to local residents.

Metis Homes aim to convert the listed buildings on the site, Shackleton and Moyana, into 37 new homes, alongside the construction of 43 new houses in line with the academy’s design.

McCarthy Stone will build 44 retirement homes on the site if the proposals and planning application goes ahead.

These plans are part of the emerging Fareham Borough Local Plan 2036.

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Mr O’Brien added: ‘The Local Plan establishes the principle and extent of development on the site.

‘Accordingly, the purpose of our public consultation is to focus on matters of detail in order to ensure the scheme will provide a suitable redevelopment for the SSU as part of their Maritime Strategy and deliver much needed homes for local people.‘We look forward to hearing local residents through our consultation site and welcome feedback on ourplans to help us deliver a high-quality scheme, which complements the local area.’

People can view the plans and submit feedback for the project on a dedicated website here.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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