A MILLION-POUND housing scheme for West Wellow is lined up for a 'make or break' hearing by Test Valley planners on Tuesday.

The proposal by the Western Challenge Housing Association for eight affordable houses and two bungalows was deferred by the last meeting of the borough council's southern area planning committee because councillors were unhappy about access to the site.

Their preferred option for the scheme at the rear of Bridge Cottages off Romsey Road would have been for a roundabout instead of a T-junction. They referred the matter back to officers for discussion to take place with Western Challenge.

But the council's head of planning, Maddy Winter, said this week that Western Challenge had told the council the cost of a roundabout, plus the street lights which could be required by the county highways authority, would make the project unviable.

She also pointed out that while a roundabout would have been the ideal solution, the access had been accepted as satisfactory by highways officers.

So the scheme goes back before the committee with no objections from the officers, but with 45 letters from residents who oppose it on a variety of grounds, including the access, increased traffic, lack of pavements on Romsey Road and disturbance to neighbouring properties.

Peter Torkington, Western Challenge's regional development manager, said that if the scheme was rejected, the funding could be lost.

He explained: "If we don't go ahead with it now, there is no guarantee that the funding will be there in the future."

Meanwhile, there have been suggestions that consultation has already taken place between Test Valley and Western Challenge on a second affordable housing development close to the one at present being discussed.

Mr Torkington said two alternatives had initially been discussed before the present one was chosen, but added the Association had no other schemes proposed for the area.