SCORES of people are opposing a plan for two large student blocks in a Winchester suburb.

People in Fulflood are angry that JLW Winchester wants to build two blocks containing 131 beds on Greenhill Road.

The developer says warden-managed halls are preferable to students occupying rented houses, which have caused issues in other areas of Winchester like Stanmore.

However residents say that the area is already overflowing with students and the plans have received 141 objections.

It is the latest example of the tension between town and gown in Winchester since the expansion of the university.

The application comes at the same time as residents in Erskine Road and Sparkford Road are opposing a scheme for 91 students.

The Chronicle spoke to residents, one of them was Brenda De La Mouette, 80, who said: "I think it is appalling; it is the second time they have tried to do it. Fortunately it has been refused and there is a neighbourhood development plan for this area and it contravenes it in several points."

She said parking will be an issue and one warden for 131 students is not enough.

Another resident said: "I think in this area we already accommodate a lot of students and we are not anti student but we are anti overdevelopment. It is a well-balanced community of all age groups and it would be destroyed."

One of those objecting, James Dickens, said: "There is likely to be considerable noise and disturbance from such a large and concentrated number of students. This is particularly inappropriate in a densely populated family-orientated residential area."

Another resident Moira Thursfield said: "It will massively increase noise levels and disturb residents, not only in the development itself, but also walking up and down the road late at night."

Ward councillor and leader of the Liberal Democrats in Winchester Lucille Thompson believes that the development is simply too large.

Cllr Thompson said: "Me and other ward councillors agree with residents it is a overdevelopment. I believe there is going to be a warden on site, which is a plus, but trying to pack in 130 students on site is too much. We support the residents with their objections.

A spokesman for JLW said that the scheme addresses a clear need for student accommodation, pointing to the University of Winchester expanding and second and third year students needing accommodation.

JLW Winchester said: "When sites for student accommodation come forward, some of the residents living immediately around them will often oppose these developments, but the wider community benefit flows from them being permitted because they place a larger number of students in managed environments. Not everyone objects though."

Winchester University refused to be drawn on the scheme.

On the Sparkford and Erskine road schemes, a spokesperson said: "Neither of these schemes have anything to with the University of Winchester, we have not been involved or engaged in their development at all. We have really good links with our neighbours and we would hope that the developers will engage with us and other neighbours, as we do with our own developments.”

They also added that they have addressed a number of concerns from residents about parking and noise nuisance and pointed out that students must sign an agreement to bring cars to University and will not be eligible to buy residents' parking permits.