PROVISIONAL applications to build more than 52 new homes on the sites of three axed Waterside schools have been submitted by county chiefs.

The proposals affect former Langdown County Infant School in Hythe, Holbury Infant School and Blackfield Infant School.

Falling pupil numbers sparked a major shake-up of primary education on the Waterside last year.

County chiefs decided to create three new primary schools by merging Langdown Infant and Junior, as well as Holbury Infant and Junior and Blackfield Infant and Junior.

They now plan to sell the land to developers to raise essential money towards the huge cost of redeveloping the new schools.

Work on the new Waterside Primary School on the former Langdown Junior site will cost £1.4m. Estimates for the new Blackfield and Holbury primary schools have not been confirmed.

A county council spokesman said: "We are seeking outline planning consent only at this stage to confirm suitability of each site in principle for residential development and establish a valuation base."

Education bosses are confident that the changes will ensure that pupils get the specialist accommodation needed to deliver the national curriculum.

New Forest District Council's Planning Development Control Committee will consider the applications for outline planning permission on Wednesday.

They look set to approve the plans after officers recommended them, subject to conditions.

However Fawley Parish Council is objecting to the proposal to build 25 homes on the Holbury site in Whitefield Road.

Chairman Alexis McEvoy told the Daily Echo: "Every available space in Holbury is being cram-packed with houses. This is a total over-development."

Mrs McEvoy said the council initially had reservations about the Blackfield scheme in Hampton Lane but that these had been largely satisfied after a meeting with school bosses.

County chiefs have not revealed details of how many homes they want permission to build there.

Hythe and Dibden Parish Council has shown initial support to the Langdown scheme in Lytton Road for 27 flats and houses.

The planning department received eight residents' objection letters to the Blackfield application, four to Holbury and four to Langdown.