A GARAGE in Abbotts Ann will be demolished and turned into five bungalows after councillors overwhelmingly voted to approve housing plans.

The two buildings of Williams Garage, on Salisbury Road, are set to be demolished, after development plans were submitted to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) by Imperial Homes Southern.

The new properties will include two semi-detached and three detached bungalows, with parking in a linear arrangement along the site.

Two previous applications for development of dwellings on the site - in 2000 and 2001 - were refused, and a further two withdrawn in 2020 and 2021.

However, council officers recommended that members approve the latest application, subject to 18 planning conditions, including that the development begin within the next three years.

At a meeting of the TVBC northern area planning committee last month, some members had questions, particularly about bin collections from the new houses. 

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Cllr Zilliah Brookes asked whether there would be a bin store on the site, while Cllr David Coole asked whether there would be turning circles to allow the authority’s lorries to make collections safely.

Cllr Phil Lashbrook said: “It’s a race track along there! So having the bin lorry and our operators out there fills me with dread, but also having bins obstructing the pavement worries me.”

Council officers said that there is space on each plot for bins to be kept, and a bin day collection point behind a hedge, so the trucks will not need to collect from the road. 

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Ben Olds said the proposals would “offer significant improvement to the visual amenity of the landscape”. 

When questioned about whether solar panels on the properties had been considered, Mr Alder responded: “We have to meet building regulations. There will be air source heat pumps and lots of insulation, but more often than not it’s about visual landscape.” 

Debating the proposal, most, but not all, councillors were in favour of the plans.

Cllr Jim Neal said: “I am just delighted that there is more bungalows being built and it’s going to be tidier than what we see at the moment."

Cllr Carl Borg-Neal added: “It’s an eyesore, so I am pleased that this very unattractive site will be developed and I am fully in support of it.” 

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However, while he agreed on the need for a makeover, Cllr Coole said that putting housing on the site would be a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.

He said: “It’s an ugly site, and it doesn’t need to be an ugly site. It could be a very attractive business park. We are going to lose potential for key economic growth in this area."

He continued: “We just need to take a look at the residents living along this road already and the hazards of the traffic and speed of traffic. It’s dangerous trying to pull in and out of this location, it’s a disaster waiting to happen.”

The recommendation for approval passed, with nine votes for and one against.