Southleigh: Plans for 1,800-home estate on green fields between Emsworth and Denvilles are submitted to Havant Borough Council

A planning application has gone in to build 1,800 houses on fields between two residential areas.

Bloor Homes has submitted an outline planning application to Havant Borough Council for Southleigh, a proposed new community between Denvilles and Emsworth.

It is part of an allocation of 2,100 new homes to the area, which would fill in the “gap” between the two areas. This is already on Havant council’s local plan, which allocated new housing to the borough.

In January, questions were raised over whether the scheme should go ahead without a link road built from the A27.

At a meeting, then council leader Phil Munday (Lab, Havant, St Faith’s) said: “During consultation on the Local Plan, across the whole borough, 30 per cent of residents expressed concerns over the impact of the Southleigh site. Most are concerned about infrastructure and particularly the impact of increased traffic on the current road system.

“Most residents I speak to and indeed most residents in this room believe the only option to manage the traffic is to build a link road onto the A27 as was originally suggested when this site was first proposed in 2016.”

And Havant MP Alan Mak later said: “A planning application needs to be properly considered by Havant Borough Council, but it’s clear that new housing is not viable without a wide range of supporting infrastructure, including but not limited to a link road to the A27.”

The proposals follow public consultation this year, including two community exhibitions held in Denvilles and Emsworth, alongside an online consultation programme that invited feedback from residents and stakeholders.

Bloor Homes also took part in a development consultation forum with the council, during which spokespeople for different resident groups were able to set out their views and councillors were able to ask direct questions of the team in a public meeting.

The outline application seeks approval for a new neighbourhood that would provide up to 1,800 new homes, alongside substantial green infrastructure, a new primary school, community facilities and a local centre with potential healthcare facilities, shops, cafés and services on Bloor’s interest.

A spokesperson for Bloor Homes said: “Southleigh represents an opportunity to deliver a thoughtfully planned new community that can help address local housing need while creating new green spaces, community facilities and infrastructure for existing and future residents alike.

“We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation process and shared their views with us. Community feedback has played an important role in shaping the proposals submitted to the council.”

The proposed development would come forward in phases and includes a new community park and walking and cycling connections.

The application will now be considered by Havant Borough Council through the planning process, during which residents and stakeholders will have a further opportunity to comment on the proposals.

More information about the plans can be found at www.BloorSouthleigh.co.uk.