A MAJOR housebuilding scheme on the edge of Winchester is set to be refused today.

The plans for up to 350 homes by Linden Homes at Vale Farm off Romsey Road have been recommended for refusal by officers at the planning committee.

The scheme also includes up to 140 affordable homes, an elderly care village, a mixed use local centre and improvements to existing bridleways and new cycle links, open spaces, play areas and drainage works there would also be an employment hub.

The original plan indicated a roundabout from Romsey Road which raised concerns about pedestrian safety from Hampshire County Council highways department, the amended proposal on the table shows there will be a signalised entrance from the road into the site, which will include a safe crossing route for pedestrians.

Planners say the scheme should be refused as it does not fit into local plan policies. They say it the proposed housing is not the type which is “acceptable” in the countryside.

Another reason is that the council can show they have an ‘adequate’ supply of housing land, meaning there is no justification for them to release this site for housing.

Among those objecting to the plans officially is the head of landscape who said the development would be “harmful” to the setting of the city and rural character of the A3090 and the fields between Pitt and the edge of Winchester.

The City of Winchester Trust strongly oppose the plan and say the amended scheme does not go far enough to alleviate traffic problems that it could cause and the development on the greenfield site will “spoil” the rural approach to the city.

In a planning document they state: “Building on such a greenfield site together with its associated traffic measures would basically extend the city’s settlement boundary and alter an important part of its character and setting.”

Chairman of the policy committee of the City of the Winchester Trust Patrick Davies said: “It is outside the built-up area of Winchester and there is no need for it, it would breach the carefully done Local Plan.

“The danger is that all the fields around built-up Winchester which are either owned by developers or for which developers have options for if a policy is breached.”

Hursley Parish Council also feel the scheme is unsuitable, they say the proposal is against the Local Plan and the development would double the population size of the village and be unsustainable, they also fear the congestion on Romsey Road which they described as “unacceptable” in its current state.

Other parish councils nearby have also objected these include Badger Farm Parish Council and Oliver’s Battery Parish Council.

More than 468 letters by residents nearby have also been written to planning chiefs to oppose the plan.

There were also 98 letters of support, from people who feel Winchester needs more housing and affordable housing to retain a social mix.