Warsash homes: Residents fear impact of new 85-house estate

Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee originally refused the outline application in 2017 for land east of Brook Lane only for the planning inspectorate to approve it on appeal.

The committee will decide on matters relating to layout and appearance next Wednesday, and 65 residents have filed representations objecting to the development.

Local resident Karen Barrett said: ‘We are concerned about the extensive development happening in our region and the impact and pressure the extra homes will have on our local infrastructure.

‘In particular, on our local roads, causing further rush hour traffic and more on-road parking.

‘Also the effect on local services, especially primary school numbers and health care availability.

‘The stretched services are already a worry, and to add more residents will make everything oversubscribed and with longer waiting lists. Therefore we do not want to see an excess of housing built in our local area.

Janet Cooke, another resident, is concerned about the impact the development could have on wildlife.

‘The proposed site is home to many species of wildlife and the density of the proposed building and paved areas do not appear to provide much by way of wildlife corridors’ she said.

‘Warsash and surrounding areas border the Hamble River with its nature reserves and leading to The Solent, all are near/within the Solent Coastal Protection area.

‘I remain concerned that dense building developments in the whole of Warsash will lead to harmful building deposits seeping into the water table and polluting the River Hamble and The Solent.’

Councillor Michael Ford is a member of the planning committee who represents the Warsash ward.

He said: ‘We’re just looking at the detail of how the 85 homes, which they’ve already got permission for, is going to look, how they’re going to be laid out - is it going to be pleasing to the eye.

‘I voted against many of the outline applications for this because of the stress on resources, however, we’re past that now - the principle of building has been established.

‘If I or any other objectors stand up and say it’s going to put pressure on our roads and doctors surgeries I’m afraid that will carry no weight whatsoever.’