New Forest District Council approves its application for 20 new flats in Totton despite concerns over a lack of parking

IN a move to address a need for affordable homes and temporary accommodation, New Forest District Council has granted itself planning permission to build 20 flats in Totton.

The scheme for 37-39 Salisbury Road will see two blocks of flats built: one with 12 flats consisting of one and two-bedroom homes for people on the council’s housing waiting list and the other comprising eight one-bedroom flats.

A meeting of NFDC’s planning committee on Wednesday heard how the eight flats would be used to house people in need of temporary accommodation instead of providing them with rooms at a bed and breakfast.

Members voted in favour of the application.

Number 37 was formerly home to youth mental health charity It’s Your Choice, which moved to a site in Junction Road before closing last year when it ran out of money. Number 39 is a vacant plot of land.

While no parking would be provided due to its sustainable location close to shops, bus routes and a train station, the application includes 45 cycle spaces.

Plans were recommended for refusal by Totton and Eling Town Council, which said it was concerned the flats would be “overbearing” and objected to the lack of parking.

The application also received one letter of objection from a member of the public for the same reasons.

There were no letters of support.

Backing the development, Cllr Sue Bennison said: “These flats will reduce our dependency on bed and breakfasts, which is costing this council a lot of money.

“I think it is important that we provide accommodation of this standard for people to get out of B&Bs and into these type of flats, which are sorely needed.”

Cllr Malcolm Wade agreed, saying: “We have to look at putting affordable housing in strategic locations with public transport, infrastructure around it and shops - this ticks all those boxes.”

However Cllr Mahmoud Kangarani, of Totton and Eling Town Council, said the lack of parking on-site could mean occupants would park in the nearby car parks, reducing the amount of spaces for those visiting the town to shop.

Cllr Kate Crisell, also a member of the town council, said the area was “chock-a-block” with people parking on residential streets to avoid paying car parking charges.