Objectors to 54-home bid say precious green space will be lost

OBJECTORS to a planning application for 54 homes in the centre of Highcliffe say precious green space will be lost if it goes ahead.

Developer Brentland Ltd has submitted an application to BCP Council to erect 18 luxury bungalows and 36 flats – comprising a block for private rental and another for shared ownership and affordable housing – on land that was once earmarked for a relief road.

The road was never built and has now been purchased by the developer, which claims its proposals will “help regenerate the village and provide much-needed new housing”.

But many residents have claimed the homes will cause traffic chaos and destroy an area of green land that runs between the main A337 Lymington Road and Jesmond Avenue.

One householder, who lives in nearby Greenways, said: “This is a beautiful green corridor full of trees, birds and other insects.

“Felling trees and building four-storey apartments will be totally out of character with the bungalows in the surrounding area.”

They added the site provided “a calming break from the main road” and it was used by local children.

Another objector, from Dunbar Crescent, said: “The loss of green space and detriment to wildlife is disastrous.

“We do not need more development in Highcliffe and certainly do not need affordable housing and cheap rental properties. This will degrade the area.”

Another local resident said: “This is a considerable overdevelopment on a small site and is purely profiteering by the developers. Eighteen bungalows and 36 apartments is a ridiculous number for the site.

“The reality is that each flat will have one, if not two, cars and so parking spaces for those should be in excess of 50.

“The result will be that Jesmond Avenue and the surrounding roads will be used by these residents to park. This road is already used by workers and shoppers during the day, so this will exacerbate the problem.

The resident went on: “Highcliffe is a small town that has grown massively in population. There is a surplus of properties already that remain unsold, and a real lack of green space for nature.

“There is insufficient access, which will result in increased traffic through Kilmington Way and Greenways.

“There is no consideration of the impact on the local doctors and schools and roads, which already struggle to cope with the increase in population.”

Brentland director Chris Bulstrode previously said he believed that residents living opposite the site should be pleased by the proposals because the “threat of having a very busy road in front of them” had been lifted.

The land had been compulsorily purchased by Hampshire County Council in the 1960s from then-owners Boyland and Son Ltd, to construct a bypass.

That road was never built, and in 2015 the site was bought by Brentland – a director of which is the grandson of Peter Boyland, who originally owned the land.

It is proposed the site will be landscaped with trees and hedges, and there will also be a seven-metre wide ‘green corridor’ running along the site north of Lymington Road to protect wildlife habitats.

This week Mr Bulstrode told the A&T he felt the objection that talked about how affordable housing would “degrade the area” was “not in the spirit of what is considered to be a caring community village”. He added: “There is very much a need for housing like this in Highcliffe as the local authority have made plain.”

He said the company had consulted with the local medical centre and schools and been told “there is more than enough capacity to deal with potential residents”.

Speaking about other objections he said: “Natural England has agreed our biodiversity mitigation plan and the highways department has no objection to the development.

“The method statement for the arboriculture requirements has also been approved. The whole area will be landscaped beautifully so what residents refer to as a ‘green corridor’ will not change that much.”

Mr Bulstrode also pointed out that in recent weeks one large tree on the site they are seeking to develop had fallen down and others were a danger.

He said: “They have very shallow roots and this one just toppled over. A specialist says others are likely to follow. This was never meant to be woodland.”