Sheltered accommodation for the over-55s to be built in Portchester

A CGI mock-up of how the finished sheltered accommodation will appear. | Other 3rd Party

A SHELTERED accommodation block of 16 apartments is to be built in Portchester after gaining planning permission from Fareham Borough Council.

The development is to be overseen by the council’s housing department and will be built in Station Road, on the site of demolished Merjen Engineering.

A meeting of the council’s planning committee this week raised concerns about the ongoing nitrate neutrality, dangerous driving near the site – and the proposed ages of residents.

The main concern was the ongoing issue around development’s contributing to nitrate population in the Solent, according to Councillor Roger Price, of Portchester East.

The site of the sheltered accommodation - with the now demolished engineering firm. | Other 3rd Party

Cllr Price said: ‘As you know, no application is being approved because of the nitrates issue.

‘Because we own a large amount of housing stock, we can amend that stock in such away to reduce water flows. This would mitigate against the issue.

‘But we don’t have a plan before us showing that the borough council is going to do that.’

The authority is working to stop leaks and save water across its housing stock in order to create ‘headroom’ for new developments’ waste water, with savings of 4,224 litres per day needed to enable the building of the accommodation.

Chairman of the committee, Councillor Nick Walker, asked for councillors to ‘trust’ him that work would continue to mitigate the problem.

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He said: ‘‘What we have to bear in mind is that this has been submitted Natural England – we are the competent authority.

‘It’s a very complicated piece of work – but it works.’

Cllr Walker voiced concerns about dangerous driving around Castle Street roundabout leading to an accident involving traffic accessing the new block.

He said: ‘They do tend to come round than bend at a fair old lick.’

The committee has requested a sign to be placed near the site in order to warn drivers.

But it was the young age of the block’s residents was what ‘really winds up’ Cllr Walker.

He said: ‘It’s for people aged 55 and over – what a ridiculous situation.

‘There are people living to be 100 – I have a son who is 55.

‘I do really wonder where we are going with this – this is elderly people’s accommodation.’

Addressing his fellow councillors, he added: ‘So most of us are on our last legs.’

The block will consist of 12 one-bedroom apartments and four two-bedroom apartments, with parking for 17 cars.

The committee voted unanimously to approve the application, with a decision on the management of the block to be made later in the year.