PLANS to build 220 new homes and a roundabout near Sherborne St John are facing strong opposition from a parish council and residents.

The proposed outline planning application, submitted by Bewley Homes, aims to replace a section of the Weybrook Park Golf Course with 220 new homes.

The housebuilder initially wanted to build 350 homes, but after submitting a screening opinion to the borough council it first reduced this to 250, and then further to 220 when submitting the outline planning application in October 2023.

READ MORE: Housebuilder plans to build 250 homes on golf course

The 12-hectare site off the A340 Aldermaston Road includes part of the 27-hole Weybrook Park Golf Course.

The site covers four of the course's golf holes.

Basingstoke Gazette: Conceptual illustration of one of the houses proposed at the siteConceptual illustration of one of the houses proposed at the site (Image: Bewley Homes)

The plan is to provide access to new homes from A340 Aldermaston Road, along which a new roundabout is proposed.

However, Sherborne St John Parish Council has raised numerous concerns, outlining its objections in two separate letters - one addressing the housing development and the other focusing on the proposed roundabout.

Among the primary concerns is the perceived violation of the principle of development in the countryside.

The council argues that the proposed project undermines both the emerging local plan and neighbourhood plan processes, and thus, it should be promptly refused.

The parish council has also highlighted the impact on landscape, biodiversity and nature conservation, heritage, infrastructure and highways, and National Planning Policy Framework, while detailing a number of reasons.

In a separate letter, the parish council voiced concerns specific to the proposed roundabout, citing the potential impact on highways, infrastructure, biodiversity and landscape and potential pollution.

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The draft letter, seen by the Gazette, reads: “It is noted that a decision on whether to grant planning permission relates to an assessment of whether the scheme is in accordance with the relevant policies in the development plan, unless there are material considerations which indicate otherwise.

“The conclusion of this letter is that the proposed development is harmful for a multitude of reasons, as well as undermining the emerging Local Plan and Neighbourhood Plan processes, and therefore must be refused without delay.”

At the time of writing this report, the outline planning application for new houses has received 86 comments with 84 objecting, one supporting and one neutral.

The full application for roundabout plans has received 66 comments with 65 objecting and one person supporting.

To view the planning application for houses and roundabout, search with reference numbers 23/02622/OUT and 23/02628/FUL respectively on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's planning portal.

A spokesperson from Bewley Homes said: “This site has been highlighted as a potential allocation for Basingstoke and Deane’s emerging local plan. Bewley Homes has been working up the application liaising closely with planning officers from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hampshire County Council over the last year.

“Using our professional consultants, we carefully considered all technical matters including but limited to landscape, biodiversity and nature conservation, heritage, infrastructure and highways before submitting our application. We are continuing to work closely with local and statutory consultees on these matters as our planning application progresses.”