Plans for 39 homes off Southampton Road in Titchfield cause ecological worries for residents

The proposal to build a housing development on green fields east of the A27, opposite the Southampton Road Retail Park has received criticism from people living in Titchfield.

The 1.066-hectare site is currently permitted as a static caravan site, and the new development would provide a mix of houses and flats, 40 per cent of which will be affordable.

Planning documents state: ‘The scheme responds to the local context, helps to meet local community housing needs and addresses the full range of environmental impacts of the development including specific arboricultural and ecological constraints.

‘A new sustainable housing development in this location will provide an opportunity for both young people and families to live and work in the local area and ensure that people of all ages have the accessibility and choice of a good standard of well-designed housing.’

The planning application has received 26 comments from the public.

John Durkin, from Titchfield Park Road, said: ‘We are strongly against the proposed development. The development will hugely impact the local area, particularly with the significant increase in traffic using Titchfield Park Road as a shortcut between the A27 and the M27.

‘This will not only impact the safety of the street, but it will also directly increase pollution by noise levels and vehicle emissions.

‘The current infrastructure is currently overstretched and barely capable of adequately servicing the current population, prior to any development taking place the current infrastructure would need significant development.’

Frank and Jenny Prosser added: ‘We are concerned about the overall loss of habitat with these proposals, the risk of polluting the Brownwich and thence the Solent, and the traffic increase and need for services such as buses, schools and doctors.

‘In the tree section, of all the vegetation only five oak trees are considered worth keeping and one of those is to be felled for a driveway. Nothing is said about the overall loss of habitat on this green finger of land.’

The decision will be made by Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee at a future meeting.