A SITE dubbed Fareham’s “Berlin Wall” could finally be demolished after a £3m homes development was approved.

Fareham Borough Council will invest £2.85m on redeveloping the former Hampshire Rose pub site on Highlands Road into ten one and eight two-bed affordable flats, in four blocks.

The site, known as Fareham’s “Berlin Wall”, has been left derelict since 2005.

It was bought by private developers with the hope of building luxury residential housing, but their plans were thrown out.

Hampshire County Council then bought the site following a bidding war with rival developers with the aim of building a children’s centre.

However, the scheme was abandoned and in November 2014 the land was sold to Fareham Borough Council who have spent the last three years developing the plans.

The council says the investment will be paid back within 25 years through the rent tenants pay.

Councillor Peter Davies, who represents Fareham North West, said: “I am delighted that the derelict site will now be cleaned up at long last.

“It will provide 18 social housing flats for people on the housing waiting list.

“The council should now be exploring opportunities for further social housing developments on derelict land and disused garage areas in Fareham.”

However, concerns were raised that existing properties nearby would suffer a loss of privacy.

Councillor Davies added: “We have done our best to ensure that those flats with windows overlooking other houses will be obscurely glazed to maximise privacy.”

Opposition councillor Roger Price said: “I am very glad it has got planning consent after so many years.

“The design fits in with the local environment and is a good step to provide homes for people on the housing waiting list. This is a step in the right direction. The authorities have dilly-dallied for too long to get to this stage.”

Councillors voted unanimously to approve the plans.