ANGRY residents have expressed concern at plans to house 120 people on an already busy Southampton estate due to the city's extreme need for accommodation.

People living in the Lordshill area have been organising a petition against plans by Swaythling Housing Association to house up to 120 key sector workers on a new housing development.

They are worried that the proposals for 23 new homes in St Helier Place and Jersey Close will take away their car parking spaces, restrict emergency service access and make the area dangerous for children to play in.

Swaythling Housing Society, who submitted the plans after they were approached by the city council, say they are sympathetic to the residents' views although there is need within the city for accommodation.

Computer analyst Gary Waters, 38, who has been organising the protest against the plans, is worried about the effect of a sudden influx of people.

He said: "The estate is just starting to settle down after years of problems and now they are going to inject 120 into such a small area. The plan would just not work.

"They are going to halve the play area and put in a joining road between Boniface Crescent and Lower Brownhill Way, which kids will have to cross to get to the play area.

"We only got the latest plans a week-and-a-half ago. We have got 88 signatures so far but every house we have been to is supporting us. The houses opposite on the other side of Lower Brown-hill Way did not know anything about it."

Swaythling Housing Society has submitted a planning application to the council to build 12 three-storey town houses, three two-storey homes and eight flats on a car park and disused shopping precinct adjacent to St Helier Place.

Residents were consulted last November when the plans only contained homes for 100 people. Since then they have been amended to add an extra 20.

The residents' main concerns with the proposed developments are:

The play area will be halved.

A new road through the estate will be dangerous for children.

Car parking spaces will be severely reduced.

The volume of people and cars coming into the area is too great.

Emergency services will have reduced access to many homes.

Swaythling Housing Society's business development director Andrea Taylor said: "Current government guidelines dictate that higher density levels should be achieved in all new developments. While we try to be sympathetic with local residents' views, there is an extreme need within the city for accommodation of this type.

"We are not building on a car park and play area. We are building on a former precinct site where people have taken to parking since the closure of the shops. We are retaining the play area although this will be slightly reduced in size.

"We propose to provide 73 car parking spaces on this site. None of these spaces will be allocated to our residents but will be available on a first come, first served basis. We do not consider that we are severely reducing the amount of parking spaces. The new road will be a Homezone. As a result full traffic calming measures will be implemented."