AFTER years of disuse an eyesore in the centre of Sutton Scotney is set to be redeveloped.

Winchester planners have unanimously approved a housing and office scheme for the Taylors Coaches site off Oxford Road.

Sycamore Property Development Fund proposed 15 homes, two of which would be for rent, the revamp of the landmark Taylors office and a new office building.

Under city council rules 30 per cent of housing schemes should have affordable; with this scheme that would normally mean 4.5 units not two.

But the committee heard that the cost of decontamination on a site used for transport since 1916 is highly expensive and it would be uneconomic to build more than two affordable homes.

Cllr Jamie Scott asked what safeguards were in place to prevent other developers trying to wriggle out of the 30 per cent policy.

Simon Finch, head of planning, said sometimes compromise was needed to ensure schemes went ahead: “If there are genuine problems of viability we will come to a compromise. Thirty per cent of nothing is nothing. We take specialist advice. It is about striking the right balance.”

John Holt, of Wonston Parish Council, said the council was happy on the whole with the scheme. There were remaining concerns. “We have continuing trouble with sewage in the village and we don’t wish to see that repeated.”

Cllr Kim Gottlieb said he was unhappy about the blank wall of the new office facing onto Oxford Road: “That office is dead frontage. I’m not happy with it.”

It will now be left to officers to negotiate possible changes to the design of the office.

The other part of the site, Old Station Yard got planning permission for 33 homes in May. A footpath will connect the two and give people from Oxford Road quicker access to the Gratton playing field and GP surgery.

Another benefit is that the developer will give £18.921 towards sports provision at the Gratton playing fields.