A FORMER social club in a Hampshire village is to be demolished and replaced with houses..

Councillors in Eastleigh approved proposals to demolish the Royal British Legion, on Station Road in Netley Abbey and build nine homes.

The Netley Abbey Sports and Social clubs site, formerly the Royal British Legion, was bought by the developer after a decline in memberships and a lack of interest from any other community-related operators.

The plans for a mix of three, four and five-bedroom homes with garages, parking and green spaces were put forward by Goodwill Homes and were recently given the go ahead by the Bursledon, Hamble-Le-Rice and Hound Local Area Committee.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, the plans were deferred in June 2017 after borough councillors asked the developer to come up with a safer option not to have cars reversing out to the main road.

At that time councillors also asked to have larger buildings at the front and smaller buildings at the back as they believed that it would make access bigger and safer and demanded double yellow lines to be extended along Station Road. Although not all the suggestions have been met, the plans have now been given the go-ahead.

David Airey, borough councillor for Netley Abbey, told the Daily Echo the development will have larger buildings at the front but the gap between the two sets of homes will be widened.

He said:”The development meets the requirements of the local planning policy but this doesn’t mean we got everything we asked. They failed to meet all the suggestions we made but it’s a sustainable site and there was not reason for reasonably refuse it.”

Cllr Airey said there will also be a turning circle in the front garden of the development where cars will be able to change direction to avoid having to reverse out directly to the main road.

He also confirmed that double yellow lines will be extended along Station Road, making the access safer.

“The principle of the development is fine. The design of the houses is fine, it’s in keeping with the rest of the village,”he added.

The residential use of the site has then been considered “the most preferable”.

The Daily Echo contacted the developer but it was not able to provide a comment.