Bitterne residents slam plans for new homes on green space

Plans are being considered next week to build eight new homes on an empty patch of land at the bottom of Bryanston Road, Southampton. 

If approved, the proposals would see eight new homes built comprising four three-bedroom properties and four two-bedroom homes. 

Developer Abri says the development would be made up of affordable terraced and semi-detached homes with a private rear garden for each property. 

But now residents of the street have spoken of their anger at the scheme which they say would be "a nightmare".

Proposed site for eight new homes on Bryanston Road, Southampton (Image: NQ)

Alex Gallagher, 68, who has been living in the area for around 30 years, said it's going to be a "ridiculous situation". 

"It’s ridiculous for parking out there as it is and the road is very narrow.

"The reason we love this cul-de-sac is because it’s quiet, that’s why we bought our houses here.

"It’s just going to be crazy. Our life is going to be made a misery now.

"When the houses are built that won’t be the end of it because you’re going to get all the deliveries, all the extra traffic coming down.

"Diggers, articulated lorries, it’s going to be an absolute nightmare for us."

Other residents have raised concerns over flood water in the area with some properties having been denied insurance due to their susceptibility to flooding.

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Sharon Bedford, 56, added: "When it rains really hard it pours down the road. It’s crazy.

"Subsidence is a big concern. Myself and another neighbour we created a petition. Most neighbours were concerned about the subsidence issues along Gainsford.

"It will seriously affect all of our wellbeing with the noise, the stress."

The proposed site which runs behind properties and down towards the railway line is currently fenced off and overgrown. 

Abri says access to the new homes would be provided by a new section of road on Bryanston Road, with 16 car parking spaces provided and a further four public spaces to off-set the loss of current street space. 

Double yellow lines are also proposed to improve access to the site for refuse trucks and larger vehicles. 

Proposed site for eight new homes on Bryanston Road, Southampton (Image: NQ)

But Caroline Gizzi, 63 said: "You’ve got all that housing down Townhill in a regeneration area for the last 12 years and they want to build eight houses on a little plot of green space.

"There’s deer in there, there’s fox in there. We have been trying to find a bat colony.

"It’s just not suitable. I bet they’re going to suffer from damp.

"They’ll get the flooding whether they like it or not. Or the railway line will be covered with water because all of the digging they have done."

Yvonne Williams, 48, told the Echo that due to cars parked on the pavement, she currently walks down the road with her buggy for her one-year-old daughter Dotty. 

"When there’s more cars that are parking down here and there’s more traffic I do worry about the safety of being able to walk in the road and the safety of my daughter."

A total of 17 trees would be removed if the plans are approved and would be replaced by 32 new trees. 

Sam Stone, director of land and planning at Abri, said: "The site has been allocated by Southampton City Council in its adopted Local Plan for up to 13 homes but after our technical review, we are proposing just eight houses which we believe will fit comfortably within the site.

"Prior to submitting the planning application, we wrote to neighbours to ask for their feedback.

"To address concerns about parking, we have included four additional, unallocated, spaces within the development for existing residents and visitors. Each of the new houses will also have two car parking spaces and cycle storage, meeting Southampton’s parking standard. 

"To minimise disruption during construction, with the approval of any planning permission, a construction management plan will be in place to restrict hours of work and timings of deliveries.

"We’ve also worked closely with an ecologist to understand any impact on wildlife. Large parts of the site will be set aside as natural space to secure long term biodiversity enhancements and to allow native wildlife to flourish.”

The proposals are due to be considered at a planning meeting at the Civic Centre on Tuesday, June 4. 

The planning committee has been recommended to delegate the decision to the Head of Transport and Planning to grant permission subject to certain criteria.