Burghclere residents object to plans to build 25 homes on land to the south side of Harts Lane

Plans to build 25 homes in Burghclere have been met with strong objections from village residents.

Housing developer HD (Burghclere) Ltd submitted plans to build the dwellings on land to the south side of Harts Lane between the Church of the Ascension and St Michael’s School on November 3.

The proposed residential development would contain 10 affordable homes, new vehicular and pedestrian access on to Harts Lane, the formation of publicly accessible natural green spaces and the creation on an open space within the nearly seven-acre site, as well as drainage basins and landscaping.

The proposal’s planning statement reads: “The proposed development has been carefully considered to ensure that it will deliver high quality sustainable development.

“The landscape-led approach, informed by an evaluation of the 2020 dismissed appeal by others for 35 dwellings on a larger developer area, ensures that this appropriately scaled development will respond sensitively to the site’s setting.”

Several residents have sent objection letters to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Ivor Graham, of Ox Drove, said: “After much effort the village now has a neighbourhood plan and we have recognised the need for some further development and this has been agreed on the corner of Harts Lane and Winchester Road (17 houses plus a business hub).

“I am not sure why the Government would promote such plans and local people would expend huge amounts of time and effort to have them approved only for them to be ignored.

“This is a small rural parish and we have accommodated significant numbers of new houses in recent years and it is unreasonable that the character of the village be destroyed by a large development.”

Alison Willis, of Harts Lane, believed that the houses could negate the rural feel of Burghclere.

She stated: “Putting 25 properties in the centre of Burghclere, which is currently open space and green fields, would lead to a density of housing akin to a small town.

“It feels as though these proposed properties are being crammed into the heart of the village, with no consideration being given to the effect this would have on a rural community whose residents value the character of their village and choose not to live in an overcrowded, densely populated area.”

Potential traffic problems are another concern for villagers.

Anthony Garland, of Harts Lane, said: “As residents and daily users of Harts Lane we are uniquely aware of the traffic problems in the lane especially at school times when coaches, double decker buses and the traffic generally increases substantially.

“We can foresee serious problems with traffic that will be generated by the proposed development.”

The proposed plans can be viewed on the Basingstoke and Deane planning portal by searching reference 23/02769/OUT.