PLANS to build new homes in a Hampshire town centre have been revealed.

Imperial Homes Commercial Ltd have applied to Fareham council to construct the 18 homes in land behind the Red Lion Hotel near West Street and East Street.

The proposed properties will be split between two sites around the pub's car park near supermarket Tesco.

The two and three bedrooms homes will also have private allocated parking with access via the existing road onto Bath Lane.

So far, resident have welcomed the plans.

Fareham resident Nicola Lewis said: “It's clear that the development regenerates a completely under utilised area of land.

"The site is a eyesore, and has been for many years. Its a welcome proposal to see a project that is going to inject some new houses into the local area.

"This application clearly reuses a redundant brownfield site, and as a local resident I can see the immediate benefits of supporting housing schemes like this.”

Resident David Moon added: “Pleased to see a non-flat development on a site that is far more suited to houses I consider this an excellent option."

The area was reserved for overflow parking for nearby superstore Tesco but Imperial Homes is now in the process of buying the land from current owners Hanover Housing.

Developers hope that the plans will regenerate a site that is currently underused.

Director of Imperial Homes Ben Olds said: "There are very limited examples of classic new build housing in the town centre, most of it seems to be apartments or retirement complexes so there is a limited availability for a wider range of buyers to move into the town centre.

"As a company we have expanded three fold in the last year.

"We hope that putting houses there, instead of apartments, will help to promote younger people moving forward or retiring couples that want to be in a more sustainable location."

A decision is set to be made on the application by March 15.