RESIDENTS of Picket Piece are up in arms against a plan to build 16 new homes on a land that they claimed was promised as ‘leisure space’ just five years ago.

The proposed plan by Wates Developments and David Wilson Homes Southern is to build new homes on land north of Ox Drove in Picket Piece.

But the residents who bought homes in Picket Piece’s Locksbridge Park have written to the Test Valley council saying the land was promised to them as ‘Junior Youth Pitch’ just five years ago.

READ MORE: Test Valley Borough Council refuses permission for new Picket Piece development

Hannah Flynn, one of the residents, said: “We cannot fathom what benefit these houses will have to the community when there is an abundance of homes being built within a mile if this site and thousands more within Andover as a whole.

“Why take away half the green space we were promised for our youth – for the present and future children of the development.

“That space will never be able to be reclaimed and our gardens won't grow any bigger either. Added to that there is a known deficit of sports facilities within the ward.

“This is nothing but greed and corruption. These house builders have a lot to answer for but the planning dept have a duty to their residents and they are falling far short in this council.”

The residents are also concerned about the access for heavy lorries if the planning application is approved.

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The Hampshire County Council has allowed the heavy lorries of the builders to access the estate from 7.30am to 5pm via Locksbridge Road, Drummond Road, Tolme Way and Galbraith Road.

According to a resident who has lodged their objection to the plan, this will “undoubtedly cause untold noise, disruption and danger just feet away from our front doors to not only residents, but our roads, verges, vehicles, property and pets.”

The application is up for consideration at the TVBC’s Northern Area Planning Committee Meeting on Thursday, January 27.

Residents have been given three minutes to raise any final objections.

A spokesperson for David Wilson Homes Southern said: “As part of the initial planning agreement for our now completed Locksbridge Park development, a piece of land was reserved should it be required for use as a sports pitch.

“Following an appeal decision in September 2019, an inspector agreed to remove the requirement for this provision on site, and subsequently a planning application for housing was submitted. We are now in the process of handing the land over to another developer.”

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