PLANNING chiefs have given the green light to plans to redevelop a former police station.

They rejected the advice of Winchester City Council’s planning officers to approve the retirement homes plan at the boarded up Alresford Police Station site and in a nearby Grade II listed building.

Councillors heard appeals from the public and business community to override planning policy concerns.

The police station, in Station Road, vacant after officers moved into the fire station on Pound Hill in 2013, will be demolished to make way for a new three storey facility with 15 two-bedroom retirement flats.

A further four flats will be provided by converting and extending Station Mill, while removing its 1980s extension.

Developer McCarthy and Stone’s plans, which were rejected last May, were unanimously approved by the planning committee.

The latest plans prompted 53 letters of support and only one objection along with New Alresford Town Council.

The meeting heard how for the past 10 months the developer had been working to resolve the objections raised with council planners and the head of historic environment.

Council planners were satisfied that it has now countered concerns for the impact on the historic building.

However, officers said that there were still issues surrounding the resulting loss of Mill Station as an employment site and need for developments to provide affordable housing.

Councillors heard how, though Station Mill was used as offices for several businesses, they have since moved and found alternative accommodation in Alresford.

The developer says that obligations to provide 40 per cent affordable housing would make the scheme unviable and has agreed to put £85,000 towards affordable housing elsewhere instead.

David Williams, planning agent for McCarthy and Stone, said a scheme that mixed offices and homes was also not viable.

Alresford councillor Simon Cook said the historic building would need ongoing investment in maintenance and refurbishing the building would cost £400,000.

He said this would drive costs out of reach of the local businesses and that technology had meant people were not often working in offices in the way they used to anyway.

He added that the flat occupants would contribute an estimated £600,000 to the local economy.

Jill Parker, 74, of Alresford, appealed to the committee to approve it for the benefit of residents in her position who wanted to downsize but stay in the town.

“I really believe there is a huge demand for this kind of accommodation in Alresford, “ she said.