MORE than 70 retirement flats could be built on the site of a former bus depot in Southampton.

If approved, they would be the final piece of the jigsaw for the Portswood depot site after a Sainsbury’s superstore was built there and a student flat complex was recently given the green light.

However some say they are concerned that the site does not contain any affordable housing for residents, which had been earmarked in the original plans for the site.

The new supermarket eventually opened in 2012 after a lengthy planning battle, with four sets of plans going before city councillors.

Initially the company had said it wanted to create a medical centre and 140 homes on the wider site, but then announced that it had axed the plans as they were “no longer viable or deliverable”.

Since then a large part of the former depot site has been empty and hidden behind hoardings.

But earlier this year Orchard Homes won permission to build a £20 million complex with 349 student flats on part of the site.

And now Churchill Retirement Living has drawn up plans for a development of about 72 privately-owned apartments on the remaining parcel of land.

It would feature a mix of one and two-bed apartments for people aged 60 and older as well as a garden, communal lounge, guest suite and manager’s office.

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The firm’s planning director Andrew Burgess said: “We believe our proposals will bring forward what is currently a derelict site and significantly regenerate it, using the high quality design we’re known for.

“Churchill place great importance on engaging with local communities during the planning process and providing them with an opportunity to have their say on our early-stage plans.

“Not only do our developments offer security, peace of mind and independence for residents, they provide much-need specialist housing for older people to move to. In turn this also frees up larger, family homes for local people.

“If the development goes ahead investment will also be made by Churchill Retirement Living towards local services and facilities such as public open spaces and to offsite affordable housing.”

But some are disappointed about the lack of affordable housing and other facilities on the site, with Portswood ward councillor Paul O’Neill saying: “I think the Sainsbury’s site has been disappointing because the community were made a number of promises about the site and a raft of new amenities for the community which were frankly promptly forgotten about as soon as it got planning permission.

“There is no GP surgery and we have seen affordable housing disappear from the site.

“This is the last opportunity to create affordable housing on the site and that it’s not going to happen is disappointing.”

Residents can view the proposals on the company’s website and are able to make comments until December 10.

Detailed plans will then be drawn up before a planning application is submitted to the city council.