HOUSING could finally be built on a derelict part of a Hampshire town as civic chiefs secure vital funding.

Test Valley Borough Council has come under mounting pressure from locals and community leaders alike to deal with the brownfield site - dubbed the eyesore of Romsey – which has been left empty since 1988.

It has been urged to make owners Stanborough Developments, who promised to develop the site after buying it, commence the construction of 211 homes that it was given permission to put up in 2006. The council say it has been in regular contact with the developer who has made slow progress with plans.

Now councillors say they will use the £14,000 to bring in consultants to find a way to ‘encourage’ the developers to build the already approved homes.

Planning head, Cllr Nick Adams-King, said: “When I was appointed to the Planning Portfolio I undertook to explore any option to resolve the issue of the Romsey brewery site.

“This is therefore great news as it means the council can seek specialist advice about what we can do to help bring this forward.

“The small number of residents who do live on the site have been extremely patient but they shouldn’t have to live in a partially built development.

“I’m very much looking forward to opening up discussions with specialists who can help us to progress matters.”

The funding has come from the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Housing Advisers programme, which was designed to support authorities to deliver projects that help meet the housing need of its local area.

Cllr Adams-King added: “The brewery site has obviously been an issue for everyone for quite some time, but no one has been able to come up with an solution to it.

“(If a solution could be found) it would be fantastic. At the moment there is planning permission for more than 200 homes that we cannot add to our annual target – set by the government – of 588. As a consequence we are having to look at sites elsewhere, when there is a perfectly good one just siting in the town centre, doing nothing!”

As reported last year, several Romsey residents said they were tired of seeing the eyesore and a petition was started to kickstart the work.

This petition caught the eye of local MP Caroline Nokes, who helped deliver the petition to Westminster.

“It is very encouraging to hear progress may finally be made in developing the site, which has lain empty for decades,” said Ms Nokes.

“I am pleased to see Cllr Adams-King’s enthusiastic approach toward such a long-running problem.” and look forward to hearing more about the potential possibilities for the site.”

Stanborough Developments was unavailable for comment.