PLANS to bulldoze 15 homes and replace them with a multi-million pound apartment complex could be submitted by the end of this month.

As reported in the Daily Echo, Brookworth Developments wants to sweep away 15 properties to make way for 149 flats in Twyford Road, Eastleigh.

Residents of the homes set to be knocked to the ground have all been offered the market value of their properties plus tens of thousands of pounds in compensation if the redevelopment scheme is given the green light.

Rumours sweeping the neighbourhood suggest the compensation figure could be as much as £100,000 per home although residents and the developers are keeping tight-lipped about the figure.

News that a planning application could be imminent came as planning consultants Turley Associates staged a public exhibition of the proposed plans at St Peter's Church Hall in Shakespeare Road, Eastleigh.

Planning director for Turley John O'Donovan said the exhibition was a bid to explain the proposals, answer any residents' questions and take on board any relevant views and comments.

It was brisk business as the exhibition opened and Mr O'Donovan said all the comments made by members of the public would be evaluated.

"What we are hoping to do is to get the planning application in towards the end of September," said the planning director, who added that much depended on issues raised by the public exhibition.

Architect Robin Hall said the 149 homes would be in one, two and three-bed apartments with 30 per cent earmarked as affordable housing and for key workers.

The two and a half to fourstorey blocks of flats would be set back off Twyford Road to enable landscaping and there would be a "sensible area" of amenity space provided for the flat dwellers.

"It will be a distinctive place to live," he commented.

Many members of the public left the exhibition voicing fears over the drainage arrangements for the proposed new homes in an area that already suffers chronic sewerage problems.

Mr Hall said: "Drainage is certainly something we are looking at.

"Yes, we are aware of it and, yes, it is an issue.We are talking to Southern Water about it." Mr O'Donovan commented:

"We won't make it a lot worse and we hope to make it better."