Plans for 1,100-home estate stalls again as council says it's invalid

Newlands - the strategic gap between South Fareham and Stubbington Picture: Shaun Cunningham

Hallam Land originally applied for permission to build 1,550 homes, plus a school, pub and doctors, in an estate called Newlands on fields in Peak Lane, Stubbington, in 2014.

This application was met with widespread objection from residents, including protests and petitions from people concerned about the strain on facilities such as roads, plus the impact of building on land designated as strategic gap.

A revised planning application has now been submitted to Fareham Borough Council with less homes – 1,100 – which the authority says is incomplete and cannot be processed as it is invalid.

Council leader Sean Woodward said: ‘There is missing information so it cannot be registered.

‘The application has been reduced in size, but nothing has changed as far as the council is concerned.

‘It is still an application to build on land designated as countryside.’

The council agreed to give Hallam Land more time as the council’s local plan was being decided at an inquiry by a government inspector last year.

Cllr Woodward said the plan had stalled again, but this time it was the developer’s fault.

He said: ‘It cannot be registered as it is incomplete and we’ve asked them what they would like to do about it.

‘We have also asked them what they want to do about the 2014 application, and we are still waiting for their response. Now we have a situation where one has not been determined and the second one is invalid.’

Residents have vowed to continue to fight the development and they urged the council to stand firm.

Douglas Smith, of Fort Fareham Road, said: ‘That is land for the wildlife, we often go walking over there.

‘They seem to be stalling and stalling, hoping that the council will eventually say yes. The council should say no. The road infrastructure is bad enough as it is now.’

Ward councillor Chris Wood also vowed to fight the application.

He said: ‘In no shape, way or form do I condone putting housing on that land.

‘It is strategic gap, separating Stubbington from Fareham, where you are not allowed to build housing.

‘I’m against it and the residents are overwhelmingly against it. It is unacceptable to consider using those fields for housing.’

Hallam Land was contacted for a comment but a spokeswoman said the company had ‘nothing further to add at this stage.’