Plans to build five houses in Fareham have been thrown out after a councillor accused the developer of 'greed' over the way the scheme was put forward.

The construction of five detached houses with access from St Joseph Close in Locks Heath, formerly 33 Lodge Road, has been refused unanimously by a Fareham Borough Council planning committee.

The members agreed with the officer’s report that applicant Ryan Punia, who was not represented at the meeting, had brought the planning applications forward “piecemeal” with the first six and then reduced to five houses to avoid the need to supply affordable housing. 

The site is an allocated housing site as part of the Fareham local plan.

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The officer said the council expected affordable housing provision if it was brought about in a comprehensive or piecemeal way. 

Councillor Jacquie Needham (Con, Stubbington) said: “If they had put the whole application together they could have had access from Lodge Road and it would not have created a problem at all. So it’s just greed or in hindsight, not being able to see the whole picture.”

Meanwhile Liberal Democrat Councillor Paul Nother, who represents Portchester Wicor, agreed with other members and said: “It’s a major development, 10 houses or more, we must have a 40 per cent affordable housing provision. It’s not been accommodated so we cannot support it.”

The council officer’s report said that the affordable housing allocation had been avoided because the developer had come forward with two applications for five houses.

Mr Punia already had permission to build five houses at an eastern part of the site fronting Lodge Road.

A single application for 10 houses or more means a developer has to provide 40 per cent affordable housing provision which was expected on this site allocation.  

The officer’s report said: “Policy D3, coordination of development and piecemeal proposals of the local plan states; ‘applications which seek to evade infrastructure provision, including affordable housing, by not fully maximising the use of the site or by putting forward piecemeal development will not be supported.”

The houses proposed would be two-storey with a third floor of accommodation in the loft space with three car parking spaces each and two visitor spaces.