DECISION day looms is looming for plans to build a £20m student flats complex on the site of a former Southampton bus depot.

Orchard Homes revealed its plans for the Portswood depot site earlier this year and, if approved, a 349-flat development could take its place next to the Sainsbury’s supermarket.

They will face city planning bosses next week as they bid to win planning permission for the complex, which could welcome its first residents in two years’ time.

The site at the junction of Portswood Road and Belmont Road used to house First’s city bus depot before a new hub was built in Empress Road.

The old depot was knocked down and the Sainsbury’s store built on part of the site after a lengthy planning battle, although the supermarket giant had to go through a lengthy planing battle first.

Now Orchard Homes wants to build three buildings on the adjacent site, which has lain empty ever since the depot was demolished.

The three buildings would range in size from four to six storeys, with the developer saying they would not be higher than the supermarket next door and that the buildings facing Belmont Road would only be four storeys tall.

Orchard Homes said a large amount of the flats would be occupied by postgraduate students, freeing up other property in the city for families.

and that with a growing demand for purpose-built student accommodation in the city it would free up homes elsewhere in the city for families.

However, residents and local community groups have raised concerns about the proposals, with 33 representations made to the city council about the plans.

The Highfield Residents Association, Portswood Residents’ Gardens Trust and Portswood Central Residents Association have all contacted the council about the proposals, as well as one of the area’s ward councillors Matthew Claisse.

One objection says that: “Portswood already has an excessive student population, which has an impact on existing residents in terms of noise and disturbance as well as the mix and balance of the character of the area.

“The proposal will exacerbate these impacts significantly. New student accommodation should be dispersed more widely throughout the city and not concentrated within the Portswood and Highfield areas.”Other concerns include fears over insufficient parking.

will lead to issues when parents are dropping off and picking up their children, while the amount of accommodation has been described as “excessive”.

However, city council planning officers have recommended that the council’s planning and rights of way panel grant permission, subject to conditions on hours for construction work, replacing trees and other factors being met.