Warsash residents fear loss of identity as plans are submitted for 180-home estate

Southampton-based developer Foreman Homes have submitted outline plans for the estate on countryside land east off Brook Lane into Fareham Borough Council.

Land off the road is also set to be subject to a further three planning applications in the next few months from separate developers with around 700 homes in total planned for the area.

Housebuilder Taylor Wimpey is targeting an 80-home estate on land bordering Foreman Home’s application.

Vic Styles, 73, of the Warsash Residents Association said: ‘Warsash residents are vastly opposed to building on this site.

‘We just do not have the infrastructure to support it and we fear that with all these planning applications targeting our village we will soon lose our identity and that we will just become an area of Locks Heath.

‘It is very disconcerting for the village and we hope we can put up a fight against it.

Trevor Cartwright, Fareham borough councillor for Warsash said: ‘At the end of the day, the council made a plea for developers to provide sites so this is to be expected.

‘However, the reaction that I’ve received from residents on these plans has been furious.

‘They are totally opposed to it and with all these applications targeting this area, it is set to become a real burden for the residents.

Councillor Mike Ford, who also represents Warsash on the borough council said: ‘This is a prized parcel of land that developers are targeting and I cannot see them all succeeding.

‘However, it is countryside land so there will be obstacles for the developers.’

Both councillors said that developers are anxiously awaiting the forthcoming decision on Persimmon Home’s planning appeal to build 120 homes in Cranleigh Road, Portchester.

The appeal, which is due to take place next year, also concerns countryside land and it is the councillors’ belief that should Persimmon Homes win the appeal then it would give developers hope to build on countryside land.