Portchester residents fear housing will be built on former allotment site

Fears have been raised that a former allotment site in Portchester, which is home to diverse wildlife, is being cleared to make way for housing, leading to anger from local residents who say every green space is being handpicked by developers.

The site off Seafield Road, was cleared off shrubbery and vegetation in recent weeks by one of its owners, the Churchlands Trust after complaints that brambles were entering people’s gardens.

Tony Fuller, one of the trustees of the trust refused to rule out housing for the site.

He said: ‘We are assessing our options for the site and at the moment, housing is not an immediate option.

Councillor Shaun Cunningham, who represents Portchester East on Fareham Borough Council, says that the site could be brought forward for housing after the local authority launched an appeal to find sites for development last year.

Molly Mills, 82, of Seafield Road, has lived in the road for more than 50 years and said it would ‘break her heart’ to see housing built there.

She said: ‘I just do not think housing would be feasible there at all.

‘I know that about twenty years ago, there was talk of housing there but nothing ever came of it as it’s just not the right site for housing.

‘It would break my heart to see housing there.’

The site also harbours a diverse wildlife habitat with badgers and bats found there.

The council have been warring with developers over plans to build 120 homes off Cranleigh Road for 20 years and 14 retirement flats were approved off Station Road only last month.

Cllr Cunningham said: ‘I can’t imagine housing being built on this site,

‘It’s countryside land and a designated open space so I just can’t see it happening.’