A CONTROVERSIAL bid to knock down a house and replace it with five new homes has drawn almost 40 objections from angry residents.

Neighbours say the plans, involving a property in Stoney Lane, Winchester, would cause huge amounts of damage to their lives though intrusions into their privacy, loss of light and green space, and an increase in traffic.

If approved, the planning application, would see 7 Stoney Lane and its gardens replaced with three three-bedroom properties, a two-bedroom house and a four-bedroom house, as well as parking and bin and bicycle stores.

So far the plans have seen 37 objections, including one from Winchester city councillor Anne Weir, who said: "The designated on-site parking barely meets the minimum requirements... There is no visitor parking on the site at all so cars will be forced onto Stoney Lane along with visitors from other new developments coming forward on this part of Stoney Lane.

"Traffic congestion and increasingly large vehicle movements are a growing issue at this end of Stoney Lane approaching the new junctions with Barton Farm/Kings Barton.

"The above suggests that this application represents overdevelopment of this site."

Resident Loui Harmer, who lives in a neighbouring home, added: "The huge loss of green spaces in one fell swoop would be devastating. The increase in traffic onto a busy road – which will become even busier once the Barton Farm through-road completes – will cause major long-term difficulties for a key feeder road into Winchester.

"Stoney Lane is becoming a hot spot for private development opportunities and many of us are really concerned about how it impacts those of us who actually live here."

Ms Harmer added that a number of Winchester city councillors that she has spoken to have expressed concerns over the proposed development.

If the plans are approved, it would see the last area of green space in street build on.

Radley House Partnership, the architects behind the plans, declined to comment.