Seven new homes could soon be built on a former caravan storage plot in Fareham despite planning chiefs’ fears over the location.

Ware Developments, of Southsea, has been granted outline planning permission to build up to seven homes at 84 Fareham Park Road – a 0.3 hectares plot with brownfield status.

Despite granting permission, Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee said it had fears over development creeping – where homes are built in open countryside – and the developer ‘dodging’ affordable housing.

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During the meeting, Councillor Connie Hockley (Con, Titchfield) said:” I’m not happy about this one. I think it’s creeping development into the Meon Gap. It’s near a SINC (site of importance for nature conservation) and I honestly think we need to protect anything along there.”

The site is outside, but adjacent to, the defined settlement boundary of Fareham and is within the Meon Valley Area of Special Landscape Quality and the Meon Gap, council documents said.

Adam Constantinou, agent for the developer, said it was a high-quality development and the re-use and improvement of a brownfield site that is well contained, adding bat and bird boxes would be installed to encourage nesting.

With no technical objections from consultees such as highways or Natural England, Mr Constantinou said: “Overall the scheme has been sensitively designed to respect the character of the area including the Meon Gap and the Iron Mill Coppice SINC.”

There have been three applications for the site previously refused, including a larger development for 28 homes encompassing a neighbouring field and another for 10 houses.

Councillor Ian Bastable (Con, Park Gate) said he was concerned that the developer was avoiding the thresholds of affordable housing by doing things piecemeal.

He said applying for seven avoids the threshold of affordable housing contribution. At 10 houses or above, the developer would have to make an affordable housing contribution. 

The planning officer said if a future planning application on an adjacent piece of land was made to tip the balance to 10 houses or above, then it would be considered at that time on its merits.

Documents submitted with the application said there was an “overwhelming need for housing in Fareham” and the scheme was “striking an appropriate balance between meeting identified housing needs whilst also respecting the location of the site”.

Appearance, landscaping, layout and scale will be decided at a later date, once details are submitted by developers.