CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after plans for a controversial homes development were thrown out.

An application for 46 homes at Sovereign Crescent in Warsash was turned down at a Fareham Borough Council meeting.

This was in spite of council officers recommending the development be approved.

In a report, council officers said: “The site of this planning application was considered as part of the council’s “call for sites” process as part of the review of the local plan for housing.

“It is not proposed to be allocated for housing within the draft local plan.

“However, at this stage, the draft plan carries limited weight in the assessment and determination of this planning application.”

Under the plans put forward by consultant Bryan Jezeph, on behalf of developer G Plunket, the development would have consisted of a mix of two, three and four-bedroom homes and one-bedroom apartments with a large open space in the centre of the development.

However, residents united to fight the plan, fearing that rare wildlife habitats could be lost as well as depleting their quality of life.

Speaking at the planning meeting, Warsash councillor Trevor Cartwright, pictured, said existing roads around the development were already gridlocked.

Fellow Warsash councillor Mike Ford added that he was “totally opposed to the plans and shared residents’ concerns”.

Campaigners have celebrated the rejecting of the plans.

Rob Megginson, from the Save Warsash and Western Wards campaign (SWWW) said that they were delighted about the news but insisted that the war was not yet over.

Business director Anil Jain, who has lived in the area for 20 years, said: “The key point is that the council applied a high level of morale when looking at the potential impact of the Warsash community with these homes.

“They took the stance that the shortfall of the site could be met with other sites.

“The council is putting a message out that their planning arm cannot be twisted unless there is a better presentation from planners about speculative development.

“We are delighted to have won the battle but the war is still there to be won.”

At the same meeting, plans for 42 homes at Sopwith Way in Swanwick were also refused by civic chiefs over fears of increased congestion on Swanwick Lane.

It comes after plans for more than 400 homes were approved on nearby Brook Lane, despite protests.