PLANS for 59 homes to be built in Bishop’s Waltham have been given the green light.

David Wilson Homes will now build on the Martin Street site which includes plans for 23 affordable housing units.

The proposal for the land, which has been pre-allocated as part of the Local Plan, will see the access road in Martin Street improved and a pathway run through its centre, connecting to Priory Park.

The application, unanimous approved at Winchester City Council’s planning committee on September 15, was amended in August after a spate of objections.

The new plan reduced the number of houses, 61 to 59, and changed their design and height of the properties– from three to two storeys.

However the amended application was still criticised by Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council.

It was unhappy that part of its planned path across the area, that would connect housing estates with publicly accessible areas, had been changed by the applicants.

Cllr Robert Shields said that despite three of their five concerns being addressed in the updated plan, the pathway’s proposed new position through the Martin Street site was an issue.

“We do not want an access point half way across our playing fields,” he said the parish councillor.

“This would see people using it as a cut-through and walking across football pitches. We want to reposition the path to its originally decided location.”

However, he added: “It is reassuring that the new plan has addressed some of our previous objections.”

The path, it was heard, would be three metres wide and be used for both walking and cycling.

It would also incorporate the nearby 155 mile long famous Pilgrim’s Trail which connects Winchester Cathedral with the medieval sanctuary of Mont St Michel in Normandy, France.

Nevertheless, planning manager for the scheme Aaron Wright said the position of the path was the best place for it.

“The suggested path by the parish council cannot be achieved without a significant amount of trees being lost.” she said.

“The [height] level difference from the [Pilgrim’s] Trail to the site is just too great; to meet the requirements of the suggested path we would take a significant engineering operation and would change the character of the area.

“We are still providing the access, just in a different location.”

However, Ms Wright added that the plans did leave a gap for the path to be built in the future if needed.