PLANS for a 6,000-home garden village have run into trouble with health watchdogs who claim the development is too close to a major gas pipeline.

Proposals for the Welborne development near Fareham have been challenged by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who say the site of a proposed secondary school would be too close to the Southern Gas Network (SGN).

A letter from the HSE to Fareham Borough Council’s principal planner, Mark Wyatt, “advises against the development”.

Community groups had raised the concerns about the pipeline at the Welborne inquiry in 2014, however, their concerns were dismissed at the time.

Councillor Shaun Cunningham, of the Liberal Democrat group on Fareham Borough Council, said: “The letter out today proves that community groups and local residents have been proved right. Time for apologies. The community said in November 2014 the Welborne Plan was immature, today we now know how immature.

“It a shocking state of affairs, especially when we need Welborne to come forward to protect our other green field sites.”

Southern Gas Network (SGN) sent a letter to Fareham Borough Council back in April 2015 which said that the development of structures within the pipeline easement strip of 165m either side of the main gas pipe is prohibited under SGN guidelines and that Fareham Borough Council should consult with the developers accordingly.

As a result, because more than ten per cent of the proposed secondary school development lies within the planning easement zone the HSE recommended rejection of the development.

The gas pipeline in question runs more than 30 miles from Purbrook near Waterlooville to Lordswood in Southampton.

However, Buckland Development, the developer for Welborne, have played down the findings.

A company spokesperson said: “We welcome the comments of all the statutory consultees. We have arranged to review the comments with the council once the consultation period is over at the end of May and will respond where appropriate.

“We are aware of the development constraints the gas pipeline presents and have sought to follow HSE guidelines in our master planning, as well as the requirements of the Welborne Plan.

“Our application is in outline only at this stage and any issues will be fully resolved prior to detailed applications being submitted.”

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council, added: “It is premature to determine the findings as nothing yet is set in stone with regards to the full locations of aspects of the development.”

The findings follow recommendations by Fareham and Gosport Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) that a proposed health centre at Welborne would be unsustainable as there were too many existing surgeries nearby.