A DEVELOPER has submitted proposals to provide up to 150 homes - and a large amount of employment space - on grazing land beside Southampton Water.

Marchwood-based Oceanic Galaxy has applied for outline planning permission to redevelop Corks Farm, a 12.3-hectare site next to the junction of Normandy Way and Admiralty Way.

It is the latest in a series of applications to build a large number of new homes in the New Forest and Waterside areas.

Oceanic's application has already sparked several objections from people living in the village, and the parish council is planning to hold a public meeting.

The proposed development comprises 3.19 hectares of employment land, around four hectares of residential development and more than five hectares of green amenity space.

The housing, about 35% of which will be classed as affordable, will be built on the eastern side of the site if the plans are approved.

A design and access statement that forms part of the application says the size of the scheme represents a "relatively small increase" in the urban part of Marchwood.

It adds: "As part of the landscape-led approach it is intended to deliver a considerable quantity of open space across the site.

"The existing woodland to the west of the site will be reinforced through new planting and will contain the site visually, enhance the habitat value, and buffer the site from the adjacent wastewater treatment works."

The statement says the scheme will deliver high quality housing, enhance the quality of the landscape and deliver long-term benefits for the community.

But application has sparked protests from people living in Admiralty Way and other roads in the Corks Farm area.

Many residents are already concerned about the number of HGVs going in and out of Marchwood Industrial Park and neighbouring Marchwood Military Port, where expansion is taking place.

One of the letters sent to New Forest District Council says: "Our village is being destroyed by industry."

Another adds: "Marchwood has more than enough industrial units, building more is completely unnecessary. Noise and air pollution is bad enough as it is." A fellow objector says traffic levels are already "out of control".

Marchwood county councillor David Harrison referred to a previous proposal for Corks Farm.

Posting on social media he said: "Many villagers will recall the strength of feeling and protest that followed a previous application - since withdrawn - to develop an anaerobic digestion plant on the site.

"I have always felt that a residential development would be a better option, although it is such a shame to see the loss of green fields."