RESIDENTS are furious at plans for a major student development.

Plans have been drawn up for 91 self-contained student units on a site on the corner of Sparkford Road and Erskine Road, close to the University of Winchester.

Residents fear that it will create an eyesore, cause parking issues and attract anti-social behaviour.

Unilife, which is behind the plans, says it understands residents’ concerns but argued a development of this kind eases pressure on homes of multiple occupation (HMO).

Dozens of residents gathered this week to see the plans first-hand at a public consultation.

Kelly White, of Erskine Road, said: “We are concerned for our children. With this there will be 90-odd more people in the area. We all want to move out. It is a lovely area without the students.”

Elizabeth Thorn, of Airlie Lane, said: “I don’t like the design or the flat roof, it is not practical.

“We also have problems with noise on Cromwell Road already, with student parties sometimes until 4am.”

Vocal residents have set up a Facebook group and a launched a petition.

A planning application for the scheme has not yet been lodged.

Paul Brundell, from Unilife, said of the consultation event: “It’s been a positive day.

“There has been a lot of tweaking and shrinking already of the development, we are retaining the trees and looking to plant an additional 17 trees.

“We are looking to take on comments and if we do have to put the brakes on we can.

“We are putting in CCTV and working with local police to combat anti-social behaviour.

“We are generally targeting international students and postgraduates who want to study and live a studio rather than cluster accommodation.”

The news comes after the Daily Echo reported that developer Williams Ewan is preparing to launch a scheme for 600 units at Milnthorpe Lane, near Winchester University – despite opposition from residents in the area.

A spokesperson for the university said: “Neither of these schemes have anything to with the University of Winchester, we have not been involved or engaged in their development at all.

“We have really good links with our neighbours and we would hope that the developers will engage with us and other neighbours, as we do with our own developments.”