Warsash housing development given green light despite fears from residents

The site in Brook Ave, Warsash, will see eight detached houses each with five bedrooms, associated parking and garages with a natural green space buffer and a wetland area.

Many local residents commented on the application for the site, with many raising fears over the urbanisation of the countryside.

In an opposing deputation, Ian Wyatt said: ‘This development should reflect the character of the existing settlement. It doesn’t. All the nearby properties are of different eras, substantially smaller and individually designed.

‘It is clear that the officer agrees there will indeed be visual harm, he says “the development would have an urbanising effect which would be harmful to the character and appearance of the countryside”. We agree.

‘Even the properties of Yorkdale and Cawtes Reach are individual designs - there is no doubt that they will look out of place. Also, the density of Egmont would be over 40 per cent higher than Yorkdale and Cawtes Reach.

In another deputation, Fiona Earle added: ‘This development is contrary to the policies in the extant plan and, were it not included as a potential allocation, would not satisfy any new criteria in the emerging local plan either.

‘On the opposite side of the road to Egmont, there are fields where alpacas, ponies and goats graze.

‘Egmont Nurseries is not adjacent to the urban boundary - the balance does not tilt in favour of development here; it would only cause harm.’

The site has attracted developers since 2015 when a similar application was withdrawn by the council, two more applications failed to be granted permission the following two years.

In 2020 an outline application was approved and Brook Avenue Residents Against Development (BARAD) called for a judicial review.

On May 28 a High Court judge dismissed the claims and refused BARAD permission to appeal.

BARAD lodged an application with the Court of Appeal which granted permission for BARAD to appeal the High Court decision, the hearing will take place on April 5.