MORE than 15 people are calling for councillors to reject planners' advice and permit an application in a Hampshire hamlet.

Mr and Mrs Milsome want to demolish a link between a bungalow and an annex to create two separate properties at Dunley, Vicarage Lane in Woodmancott, near Micheldever.

However, Winchester City Council planning officers have recommended it for refusal, as they say it constitutes development in the countryside.

The scheme will be before the planning committee on Wednesday, March 13 because it has received 17 supporting comments. 

Andrew Adams, on behalf of Micheldever Parish Council, said: “Over recent years the parish council has recognised the need for smaller properties within the Parish to provide options for those who wish to downsize to more suitable homes as they approach retirement, in turn freeing up larger properties for those with larger / younger families. Formalising the sub-division of this property supports this aspiration, allowing two families to relocate whilst remaining in the wider community of Woodmancott.”

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Cllr Stephen Godfrey, who represents the Wonston and Micheldever ward on the city council, said: “The proposal will protect the character of the area by retaining an existing building with a small increase in the footprint and change what has been one large five-six bedroom house into one three-four bedroom house and one two-three bedroom house

“Smaller dwellings are required to allow the community to remain sustainable.”

In the planning officers' report, it said: “The development would therefore result in the introduction of new residential development into the open countryside for which no justification exists, contrary to Policies MTRA 3 and MTRA 4 of the LPP1. The material considerations put forward by the applicant are not considered to have sufficient weight to outweigh the identified conflict with the Development Plan.

“Whilst the material considerations put forward by the applicant are acknowledged, and the proposal would not give rise to unacceptably harmful impacts upon the local environment, it is concluded that these factors would not outweigh the identified conflict with the Development Plan.
“It is therefore recommended that planning permission should be refused.”

The scheme will be decided on Wednesday, March 13. For more details about the application, search 23/02838/FUL on Winchester City Council's online planning portal.