Plans for 19 homes on Swanwick site near M27 have been approved

The scheme for the land in Swanwick near the M27 includes a mix of three, two and one-bed houses, with seven of the properties being affordable homes. Rookery Avenue Project Ltd’s application attracted 16 objections during a public consultation, including two letters from the Burridge and Swanwick Residents’ Association. Due to the volume of opposition, the proposal for the site which sits between the M27, Rookery Avenue and Botley Road, went before Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee.

At a planning committee meeting, Matthew Holmes, of agent Spruce Town Planning, said: “We were very careful when designing the scheme to ensure that the proposals would respond positively to the character of the area. To that end, the buildings have been traditionally styled and include a mix of dwelling sizes.”

He said the site is allocated for housing in the Fareham Local Plan and it is located adjacent to an approved 32-home development. Mr Holmes said the scheme had been amended following feedback received, including reducing the number of homes from 20 to 19. The Local Plan said the site had an indicative yield of only six homes.

A planning application for six homes was approved in 2018 but it had since lapsed and not been implemented. Objectors to the scheme cited various concerns, including overdevelopment, gardens being too small and traffic issues.

The committee was told the proposed development would result in a property density, which was broadly comparable to the approved scheme to the east of the site. The affordable housing will be dispersed throughout the development and will be indistinguishable from the open market properties. Two homes will be shared ownership, two will be social rent and three will be affordable rent. An existing unfinished bungalow on the site will be demolished to make way for the new houses.

The scheme requires a traffic regulation order along the southern side of Rookery Avenue from the junction with the site to Botley Road and the access road into the development. A dedicated footway will be created in Rookery Avenue.

Cllr Ian Bastable said he had concerns about the introduction of the double yellow line on this section of the road.

He said commuters using the nearby Swanwick Railway Station parked along this stretch and they could be displaced to other nearby roads. A planning officer confirmed not all of Rookery Avenue would be subject to a double yellow line. Cllr Bastable said the explanation and details provided helped address his fears.

The plans included a five-metre high acoustic barrier between the site and the M27 through a 3.5-metre earth bund, topped with a 1.5-metre acoustic fence. Members of the committee unanimously approved the application in line with the officer’s recommendation.