Hedge End councillors have thrown out plans for ten homes on a site currently occupied by two houses - despite advice from their own planning officers.

The officers recommended that Foreman Homes Ltd should be allowed to build eight maisonettes in two blocks, along with a detached house and a bungalow, at 9-11 Pretoria Road in Hedge End.

But after hearing residents slam the scheme, Eastleigh Council's local committee for Hedge End, West End and Botley voted to refuse planning permission.

Resident Clare Mulloy, from Pretoria Road, who spoke on behalf of residents, said their main concern was the number of proposed new homes, and she suggested that six to eight dwellings could reasonably be built.

She said: "We don't feel they have taken into account the limitations of access and conditions on Pretoria Road.''

A number of houses only had on-street parking, she explained, and the narrow road, with blind spots and only one pavement, would be even more dangerous for pedestrians.

"This is classed as old Hedge End,'' she told councillors, claiming the proposed scheme would not blend easily with one of the oldest roads in Hedge End.

But Bob Tutton, for the developers, said the land was underused. The site had good access to public transport and was near shops.

He said claims that junctions were dangerous were not borne out by accident records.

The committee voted to refuse permission, deciding that the scheme was out of character and would be overdevelopment, given the number of parking spaces available.