MORE than 80 new homes could be built on a school's former playing field.
Under proposals by Sovereign Homes, 84 new homes are set for land to the rear of the former St Mary's Independent School in Midanbury Lane, Southampton.
The school shut in 2020 and was replaced with a new special educational needs school, Yarrow Heights.
The land is described in the plans as "low quality and not publicly accessible".
Under new proposals, it would see eight one-bed apartments, 24 two-bed apartments, 27 two-bed houses, 22 three-bed houses and three four-bed houses.
Out of the 84 homes, 35 per cent are planned to be affordable, though all homes could become affordable housing if an application for a government grant is successful.
Access to the homes would be provided by a new pedestrian and vehicular route from Monastery Road with a broadly circular road layout within the site.
If the plans are approved Sovereign could have to pay £210,000 toward improved sports pitches at Southampton's Outdoor Sports Centre.
In the plans, it said: "The proposed development affects only land incapable of forming part of a playing pitch and does not reduce the size of any playing pitch, result in the inability to use any playing pitch, reduce the sporting capacity of the playing field to accommodate playing pitches or the capability to rotate or reposition playing pitches to maintain their quality."
There could also be an extra £20,000 contributed to help fund a new cricket wicket though the plans state that any area of playing field lost as a result will be replaced prior to construction.
A total of 162 parking spaces are proposed with a mix of landscaped parking courts together with in-curtilage parking spaces.
A play area will also be created as part of a large grassed area, complete with pathways across the facility.
A consultation was launched on the scheme on October 6 but some neighbours have already voiced their concerns about the plans.
One said: "I am utterly amazed that this site has been selected for this amount of traffic.
"The Midanbury lane is like a rat run and cars drive at very high speeds and the cars that are parked for the school at the top make it dangerous at the best of times.
"Then the road at the top of Midanbury lane to Cobden Avenue is a lethal crossing now let alone the extra traffic this will cause. Please think very carefully about health and road safety before you approve."
Meanwhile, another said the development has not taken into account the "100-200 plus extra cars that will be going up and down Monastry Road".
READ MORE: Plans for new market square in Carlton Place, Southampton
But Sovereign say in the plans: "Sovereign are committed to responsible and genuine sustainable development and the land at the former St Mary’s Independent School represents a significant opportunity to achieve this in a high-quality manner."
The application is expected to be decided by December 26 this year.
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