PLANS to build 12 flats, which would be part of 326 homes on a Test Valley site, have been given the green light.

A retrospective application was submitted to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) to create a three storey block of affordable flats in Redbridge Lane, Nursling.

The plans, submitted by Bloor Homes, will see a mix of one and two bedroom built, including 17 car parking spaces.

The application was passed by seven votes to five after residents and community leaders criticised the block of flats for being 3.39 metres closer to residents houses than initially planned, due to a new substation that needed to be put on the site.

However, the applicant from Bloor Homes did apologise for having to "amend this part of the approved scheme at this stage", adding they found out "late in the day they needed improvements to electrical infrastructure to provide a new substation".

They added they discovered this after planning permission was granted.

Tim Harvey, who lives opposite the block of flats which are being built, said: "In 2017, my wife and I decided to purchase what we thought would be our forever home.

"We understood a block of affordable flats would be opposite, but we considered this acceptable based on the fact there would be a certain amount of distance between the block of flats and our house.

"Two years later, we became concerned the block of flats were, in reality, being built in a different location."

He added: "We contacted Test Valley council in September 2019 and raised our suspicions, and these were confirmed in October that year.

"It was found the block of flats would be approximately three and a half metres closer to our house, with 19 windows spanning nine of the 12 flats being closer to our property."

Cllr Phil Bundy, who represents Chilworth, Nursling & Rownhams on the borough council, said: "I appreciate the apology that has been made by Bloor for this error and I am sure that would be appreciated by the residents, who have been affected by this.

"However, I am concerned about this particular application. My worry about this is we should consider what would happened to a resident that was building an extension and they placed it two metres out of position?

"We all know it would be highly likely they would be told to move it back to the original plans, and we have to consider as a committee what impression we'll give to residents if we rubber stamp this application."

Cllr Alan Dowden, who represents the Valley Park ward, also objected to the plans, believing residents living opposite the block of flats "are not getting what they paid for" when they bought their properties "when the [original] planning decision was made by this council."

The retrospective application was approved on Tuesday, August 25.