A CONTROVERSIAL plan to build 80 new homes on a green field on the edge of a Hampshire town has been rejected.

The proposed development south of Mallards Road in Bursledon by Persimmon Homes was dismissed by an independent planning inspector.

The plans were initially rejected by the Bursledon, Hamble and Hound local area committee as it was feared that the development would eat away at the green gap between Bursledon and the villages of Hamble and Netley.

Council Leader Keith House said: “This is great news that the planning appeal for 80 homes at Mallards Road has been dismissed. It was also good to see the planning inspectors supporting existing local plan policies on our countryside gaps and acknowledging that the Council has achieved a full five-year supply of new homes on other sites.”

He added: “The council had always been against this application as it was completely the wrong location for new homes.

"The site would destroy the green local gap between Hamble-le-Rice, Netley and Bursledon.

"The council is committed to delivering the homes that are needed for the future but they have to be in the right places – and this was not one of them.”

During the hearing Ian Ponter QC, representing Persimmon, claimed the benefits of the plan outweighed any minor negative impacts.

He said it would provide affordable housing as well as create jobs.

Mr Ponter said: “The applicant maintains that there will be no material effect on the separate identities of either Bursledon or Hamble and the impact of the appeal scheme on the character of the area will not be significant.”

However, Paul Stinchcombe QC, representing Eastleigh Borough Council, argued that the proposed development would erode the separation between towns.

“The change from countryside to housing would bring about major adverse changes to the countryside, gap and landscape and to people’s perception of them.”