CONTROVERSIAL plans to create a new quarter for Basingstoke on a landmark site are back on the agenda – and plans are also in the pipeline for an appeal against the refusal of the original £300million scheme.

Developer Lemon Land has altered its original application for the former Eli Lilly site and Victoria lot in Kingsclere Road in an attempt to win over the borough council and deal with the reasons why it was refused in August this year.

But the company is still also going to appeal against the refusal of its original application which included building 489 new homes, offices, shops, a hotel and a new base for Basingstoke College of Technology.

On Friday, BCOT principal Anthony Bravo said the college is still interested in relocating to the site, but this is dependent on securing the necessary £100million of funding – and he admits that this is unlikely to materialise.

BCOT was hoping to get funding from the Government's Learning and Skills Council, but the organisation has already used all its resources.

He added: "We have applied for funds but the Government ran out of money. We are waiting for new sources of funds to apply for. If we can find the money, I would be really happy to move, but I'm not expecting to find it.

"We are expecting to be on the site we are on at the moment. I don't want to say we aren't interested in it (the Kingsclere Road site). I can't say we will never do it."

Norden ward borough councillors Paul Harvey, Laura James and George Hood told The Gazette that they met with Mr Bravo a few weeks ago - and they say they were informed there was never any money for BCOT to relocate.

Mr Bravo has told The Gazette the councillors have put their own interpretation on what he said - an interpretation he described as "unreasonable".

In a statement to The Gazette, the three councillors said: "He (Mr Bravo) told us there was never any money and BCOT was not applying for any money. BCOT is looking with architects to improve its existing site, spending any capital on the current site.

"It would be very misleading for Lemon Land to claim that a new college will be part of their scheme. It will never happen. BCOT has admitted it will not happen. Residents have a right to know that the college will not happen on the former Eli Lilly site."

Mathew Mainwaring, director of Lemon Land's planning consultants Indigo Planning, said the developer believes the new plans address each of the three reasons the borough's development control committee gave for refusal, including what might happen if BCOT pulled out.

He said Lemon Land had decided to apply for flexible planning permission for part of the site so it can be used for either education or office use. This means that if BCOT decides not to relocate, then that area would be used instead for office use rather than even more homes.

Another concern was about the level of "private amenity space" which would result in a cramped form of housing development.

Mr Mainwaring said: "Lemon Land has made the decision to increase the size of the rear gardens to deal with that objection."

Concern over the lack of open space was another factor for refusal and the new plans will include more space - but Mr Mainwaring said the various changes do not mean there would be a significant reduction in the number of residential units planned for the site.

He added: "Lemon Land will be appealing the refusal of the first application at some point in the new year. But this (new submission) is an attempt by Lemon Land to give the council the opportunity to approve something, having made changes to the scheme."

A public exhibition of the new proposals will be held to illustrate the changes which have been made to the scheme. This will take place prior to the actual submission of the new application.

The exhibition will take place on December 16 and 17 between 4pm and 8pm at the Communications Centre on the former Eli Lilly Site. Members of Lemon Land's team will be on hand to answer questions about the proposal.