PLANNING chiefs reluctantly approved a new home in Compton Down despite fears that it would increase traffic issues.

A plan for a three-bedroom house in the garden of Plover Hill, Field Way, went before the city council’s planning committee last Thursday.

The application drew a number of objections, particularly from the Compton Down Society and the parish council.

Parish council representative Cllr Francis Strange told the meeting: “The existing road network on Compton Down is privately owned by the Chamberlain Estate and is not built for heavy vehicular use. There would be a cumulative effect from extra traffic movements together with the effect of contractors traffic in the short term.

“The traffic impact assessment in support of the planning application states: ‘an additional infill dwelling will not cause demonstrable harm to highways safety’ directly contradicts all previous highways and appeal inspectors opinions.”

Traffic concerns were also highlighted by Badger Farm and Oliver’s Battery councillor Hannah Williams who said: “The impact on traffic is another big issue, the junction onto Otterbourne Road is dangerous, it has reduced visibility and in the past planning has thought to keep the level of traffic using it to a minimum by not allowing additional properties to be built in this area.”

The meeting heard that around 15 years ago the council put a limit on the number of houses that could be built on Compton Down over concerns that the junction serving the area would become unsafe because of the number of vehicles using it, but agent Jeremy Higgins said that since then plans have been approved which “when combined have generated at least 170 additional daily traffic movements through these junctions”. He was referring to nearby Hurdle Way and Shepherds Lane.

He added: “Despite this increase Hampshire Constabulary have confirmed that they have not been to any accidents at these junctions in the past five years.”

His notion was backed by Ray Alborough, Hampshire County Council highways officer, and added that there is a “minimal risk” of increased traffic issues from this development. He also advised that if councillors rejected the application citing traffic reasons it would be impossible to fight on appeal as highways is not objecting the the plan.

Cllr Jane Rutter said: “This isn’t an easy one because I know how concerned the parish council and the local residents association are about the impact of yet more housing, but we have to face the facts, and the facts are that the highways authority is saying that there is not sufficient harm caused by the potential more traffic from this development to warrant a refusal on the basis of highways concerns therefore we are not in a position to object on those grounds.”

And Cllr Brian Laming said: “This is a very difficult one to decide. We have an area here where we’ve got large houses on large plots and that is the character of the area, from what I see from this particular development it is quite well thought out with the exception of the drive but that comes down to the ownership of the verges.

“I also understand that there is a problem on Compton Down with coming out of the road , whilst the traffic officer is giving us advice that it wouldn’t be sustainable by an inspector, through personal experience, I know that it is a very dicey place to come out of and it is not just those two roads. I think we do have to take into account public safety.”

The application was unanimously approved by councillors.