Two identical houses are set to be built next to Fareham hospital, but there are concerns elderly neighbours could be left anxious if roads are left blocked by construction lorries.

Approval to build two four-bedroom houses, one behind the other on the long narrow plot, has been granted by a Fareham Borough Council planning committee, on October 9.

The development site is on a rectangular-shaped piece of land between Hawthorne Court older person care home to the west and Meadow Court retirement flats to the east. The site shares its northern boundary with Fareham Community Hospital with access off Hamilton Road.

The applicant David Birjandi has permission to build the houses with a drive running along the western boundary, providing an exclusion zone for the 11,000v electrical cable that runs along the western side of the site.

The three-floor buildings are identical and appear to be two-storey from the front with room in the roof space for further accommodation to the rear and are contemporary in design.

There is an asymmetric roof design which gives a large roof plane to allow about 18 solar panels. 

The officer report said current guidance suggests that a four-bed home needs around 13 panels. The additional solar panels allow for a slight buffer should more be required and also for the option to store additional electricity produced. 

The houses will be finished in a buff brick and brown coloured cladding to match the materials of the neighbouring Meadow Court. Each house will have a private rear garden area and three parking spaces to the front. 

The builder’s agent who was at the meeting confirmed to Councillor Paul Nother (Lib Dem, Portchester Wicor) that there would be bat bricks, bee bricks and bat boxes in both homes.

Councillor Joanne Burton (Con, Saribry and Whiteley) and Councillor Ian Bastable (Con, Park Gate) were concerned that the construction management plan might not be considerate of the elderly residents at retirement complex Meadow Court and Hawthorne Court Nursing Home as access to emergency vehicles could be blocked. Cllr Burton said the 60 to 70 elderly residents should have access to emergency services at all times and not be anxious that the roads will be blocked with construction lorries.

There were eleven public objections to the planning application. Concerns included loss of privacy to the adjacent flats, the homes being out of character, flooding on Hamilton Road, impact on the wildlife and construction traffic impacting access for ambulances and the fire brigade and reducing street parking for residents of Meadow Court. 

The application was approved unanimously by the planning committee.