Plans for 375-home estate between Gosport and Fareham are turned down - but could resurface

Fareham borough councillors discussed a widely-condemned housing proposal yesterday on land east of Newgate Lane.

The site has been threatened with development for over a year, sparking outrage amongst residents, council bosses and a local MP.

In a deputation written to the planning committee, Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport said: ‘I know full well the huge pressures on local infrastructure including roads, housing, schools, GP surgeries and hospitals.

‘This proposal threatens the strategic gap and I believe it is vital that we protect this land as a stretch of countryside that keeps communities distinct and prevents urban sprawl.

‘Developing homes at this site will create excessive pressure on our already overburdened roads - the difficulty of getting in and out of the Gosport peninsula is infamous.’

Councillor Paul Nother, agreed: ‘I lived in Lee-on-the-Solent for ten years - trying to get in and out was a nightmare.

‘It’s been made better now, we can cope with what we’ve got - but 375 homes, 750 cars minimum, is going to be a disaster for that part of the area.’

Local residents have also made their views known, of the 148 comments from the public, only one was in support of the proposal.

Due to the council not determining the application in time, the developers, Bargate and Miller Homes, have appealed to the planning inspectorate.

A statement from the developers mentions that 99 homes directly south of the site in question have already been permitted on appeal.