A SCHEME for more than 160 homes in Colden Common has been approved.

The plan by Foreman Homes for 165 homes at a brownfield site at Sandyfields Nurseries in Main Road has been in the pipeline for two years.

Now planning chiefs at Winchester City Council have rubber-stamped the plans, which form part of the city council’s local plan.

There were 19 letters of support for the plans and 27 letters of objection.

Supporters included Mr Ian Taylor, who said: “This planning application on a brownfield community led preferred site for development within the settlement boundary.

“The site can accommodate 165 of the 250 new homes target for the next 20 years. This will safeguard other local greenfield sites, which are also outside the village boundary and have been the target for developers for the past four years. Applications and appeals for non-preferred sites should be rejected.”

Vice-chair of Colden Common Parish Council, Maggie Hill says the plan was the most popular out of all the sites earmarked for housing in the village.

Cllr Hill said: “It is a very good thing, what the village wanted. The majority of people consulted said it was what they wanted.

“We worked very closely with the city council with identifying suitable sites and consulted with the residents it was the clear favourite from the consultations, and also from the city council’s point of view it was brownfield.

“It was a good deal all round.”

While city councillor for Colden Common and Twyford Susan Cook also spoke positively about the plans.

Cllr Cook said:”We are more than happy with this, it has dragged on for some time.

“I am really happy for the area because there is going to be affordable housing as well it has been a long time coming, my only concern is making sure that the landscaping is right.”

Continued on page 6 Those against the scheme had argued it was too far away from the local shops and school, and others said it would “overstretch” the existing infrastructure in the village.

The application’s approval follows an appeal for 90 homes in nearby Otterbourne being withdrawn.

As reported in the Chronicle, a public inquiry date into Gladman Developments’ scheme was set for August 1, but developers withdrew their appeal last week following hundreds of campaigners who rallied against the scheme.

Meanwhile, a controversial development by Linden Homes at Vale Farm for 350 homes will go to appeal in the autumn.