PLANS for 45 new homes have been criticised by locals, with worries about additional traffic, parking and the unsuitable access route.

Basingstoke Residential Limited has lodged an application with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council on land north of West Ham Lane, Worting Road.

The development is proposed to include six two-bedroom, 36 three-bedroom and three four-bedroom homes.

The site is currently occupied by an existing dwelling, Newlyn House, and land associated with the property.

A planning statement with the application reads: “The application is an opportunity to provide family housing on a site which lies within the settlement boundary of Basingstoke at a time when the council is struggling to find sites to meet its housing needs.

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Basingstoke Gazette: Artist's impression of what the homes could look like“It is (the site) now in the ownership of a developer who is committed to delivering the site for housing in the short-term removing the constraint which has held it back for many years.”

The site was previously allocated for housing, but it was not delivered due to factors that have now been resolved, with the application stating that the developer “has a contractual position which will enable him to deliver this sustainable site for development”.  

Access to the development, by car, would be along West Ham Lane, which has come under fire from neighbours.

In an objection to the council, Elizabeth Harris said: “The proposed access route is on our property and we obviously look after our own property. The original agreement for Newlyn House was for access for one households cars, the road is not capable of taking 90 cars (from 45 houses) and who will be fixing the extra damage that these cars may make.

“Our property is a business property, funeral directors, established here since 1961, our section of driveway is in constant use by large vehicles - hearses, limousines, vans, forklifts and lorries.”

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Ms Harris added that she has not been approached by the developer to use her land as access to the development.

Other residents have raised concerns about increased traffic and exhibited parking issues.

May Carrington said: “The traffic in and out of the industrial estate along West Ham Lane is awful already. Adding 60+ more cars to the equation will make it dreadful. Based on the fact most households have two cars.”

Anna Maria Murray-Brown wrote: “On this new housing plan, there doesn't seem to be anywhere near enough parking for all of the new cars that will be in the area and West Ham Lane will become even busier and more difficult to get down - there are already parked cars on either side of the road and passing spaces have to be made by the traffic.”

Grace Fuller added: “The addition of 45 houses will bring an unsustainable level of additional traffic to an already busy industrial estate, where there is insufficient parking to support both the business users and new development. The proposed parking for the new houses is insufficient to rectify this issue.”