COUNCILLORS have rejected a proposal for a new house in the countryside near Alresford following concerns that it would be an overdevelopment of the site.

Local resident Mr Watts had applied to Winchester City Council to build a four-bedroom chalet bungalow at The Gem, Barnetts Wood Lane, Bighton. The development would also include a double garage and hardstanding parking for two further cars.

It is understood that Mr Watts was born in Bighton, who hopes to build the house to stay close to family and friends.

The application went before Winchester City Council’s planning committee on Wednesday last week after there were eight letters of support, contrary to the planning officer’s recommendation.

Supporters wrote to say that the home will improve the look of the areas and designed to have minimal impact on the landscape. Others also said that there had previously been a home on the site.

However, the application has drawn criticism from Alresford and Itchen Valley councillor Margot Power, along with Bighton Parish Council.

Speaking at the committee, Cllr Power said: “We are joined at the hip on this one, Bighton Parish Council and I, it is a gross overdevelopment of the site. I was trying to some redeeming features in the application.

“I was perplexed by comments from some of the supporters that there had been a home on the site and I dug further into this with the help of Bighton Parish Council, there was a railway carriage on the site which was lived in by a lady in the 1950s, that was common practice after the war and then there was a mobile home put on the site in 2019, which was burnt down in 2020, and now we have a caravan and a horsebox all without planning consent.”

She also raised concern about the where a septic tank would be fitted into the development of the plot.

Councillors on the committee unanimously rejected the application.