Fears raised about plan to build 1,100-home estate between Fareham and Gosport

QUESTIONS over increased traffic and congestion and strains on infrastructure were posed at a meeting.

More than 200 people attended a Community Action Team held by Fareham Borough Council tonight at Ferneham Hall, Fareham.

The meeting was the second held by the authority to give more details about an application it has received from developer Hallam Land to build 1,100 homes off Peak Lane, Stubbington.

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Principal planner at the council Mark Wyatt gave a presentation about the plan, which will also include an 80-bed care home, school, pub, shops and allotments.

The scheme is proposed to be built over seven years, starting in 2017.

Council leader Sean Woodward said: ‘This has been going on for many, many years with developers trying to suggest this piece of land for housing and the council has resisted it before but nothing has changed – here we have another application and we have to determine it.’

Hallam Land originally applied to build 1,500 homes on the land, which is designated as strategic gap between Fareham and Gosport, in 2012, however this plan stalled after it was met with widespread criticism and objections.

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At the end of last year it submitted a revised plan, with the lower housing number, which was finally accepted by the council last month.

Now, the application is open for comments on the council’s website before it goes to the planning committee to be decided.

Cllr Woodward stressed that this application was not being made by the council.

He said: ‘All I can try to be is as encouraging as possible to help people to say “chuck this out” and encourage them with their objections. What I can’t say is what we are going to do.’

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Many residents voiced concerns around strain on the hospital, increased traffic and the negative impact it would have on the environment.

Gosport and Fareham Friends of the Earth member John Vivian said: ‘My biggest fear is the traffic problems this will create and the lack of public transport. I don’t think it is a good application and it should be kicked into touch.’

Residents can make comments until March 25, go to fareham.gov.uk and search using reference P/15/1279/OA