Fareham councillors 'lose the argument' as plans for 62 new homes are approved

Foreman Homes submitted the application for the development on land west of Lockswood Road with all matters reserved except access. The site is near nine other housing applications in an area allocated as the ‘Warsash Cluster’ in Fareham Borough Council’s local plan.

The approved site is next-door to another Foreman Homes development which will provide 180 homes.

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Councillor Michael Ford said: ‘We’ve lost the argument sadly quite some time ago about the allocation of this site, we’ve lost the argument about highways – some of us have a different opinion of the impact of 824 vehicles.

‘It is included in the emerging plan so we can’t turn that back. This suffers from a problem and that is that we have an application alongside it which is also Foreman Homes.

‘So between the two of them they stretch from Brook Lane to Lockswood Road, wouldn’t it have been nice to have the two of them in together so we could’ve discussed access.

‘We’ve totally lost control of this. Today of course all we’re discussing is the principle of development and access, nothing other than that.’

Councillors then raised fears over an existing access road to the site via Brook Lane that could turn into a ‘rat-run’ through a residential area.

Cllr Nick Walker said: ‘My fear is that if we go ahead and approve without knowing what’s going to happen to the other part of the road, whether that link will be formed.

‘This is the only chance that we get to deal with it because it comes in with full access right the way through – my feeling is that Hampshire Highways will say it’s ok.’

Over the past few years, talk of additional housing in Warsash has been a topic of heated discussion.

In March, eight homes were approved for construction in Brook Avenue, despite many residents raising fears about the urbanisation of the countryside. An appeal by Brook Avenue Residents Against Development (Barad) sought to overturn planning permission granted by Fareham Borough Council, but was unsuccessful.

Councillors went on to approve the development unanimously.