Controversial plans for 53 homes in Eastleigh to be discussed

In November 2019, Cranberry Estates Ltd submitted an outline application to build up to 53 homes on a 10-acre site west of Allbrook Way, Eastleigh.

The homes would be 35 percent affordable according to the application and mostly two-storey, with three bungalows also included.

There would be two one-bedroom homes, 19 two-bedroom, 20 three-bedroom and 12 four-bedroom with access to the new properties being provided from the south of Knowle Hill.

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Now though, residents have voiced their concern with 26 objections made in the consultation period which ended last December.

Objections made regarded matters such as a loss of green fields, overdevelopment, and a lack of infrastructure like schools, shops and transport to sustain the development.

One resident, Jane Small, said: “There will be nothing left of our countryside. I thought this was an essential gap between ‘settlements’.

“There is a lot of wildlife in this area, don’t people watch TV or read information about the threat to wildlife here and in our country.

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“It is very sad that greed takes priority these days.”

Another, Laura Lincoln said the site will cause “absolute chaos” for residents.

She added: “The single road access to Knowle Hill is completely inadequate for the quantity of proposed houses.

“The traffic around the Allbrook roundabout is gridlocked during rush hour in the morning and evening.”

The developer, Cranberry Estates Ltd claims however that the site can “comfortably accommodate” the new housing which is said to maximise opportunities for alternative modes of transport like “walking, cycling and bus travel”.

The application for outline planning permission is being discussed at 7pm on Monday at an Eastleigh Local Area Committee meeting.

It has been recommended that the committee delegate the decision back to the head of housing and development in conjunction with the Chair and Vice Chair of Eastleigh Local Area Committee to grant permission.