POLICE fear crime could shoot up on a new North Baddesley development if design plans for 107 homes are given the green light.

An application was submitted to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC) to build the homes in Hoe Farm, Hoe Lane.

The proposals, tabled by The Ashfield Partnership, would offer a mix of one and two-bedroom homes, including several three, four and five-bedroom houses.

However, Hampshire police have objected to the design plans, with the force believing criminals could take advantage of cars being parked in less visible areas.

Other critics fear residents' safety could be at risk if parking areas have no lighting at night.

Hampshire Constabulary stressed if car crime rises in the area people could park their cars at the front of homes in a bid to monitor them, which could result in more collisions.

The force explained: "A large number of parking spaces are located to the rear of dwelling, with very little natural surveillance from the nearby dwellings. This increases the opportunities for crime.

"Our experience is that, should vehicles become the subject of an incident to the rear of the dwelling, vehicles will be parked on the roads to the front of the dwelling - regardless of the effect this causes to the road.

"This may obstruct the public highway, which may cause the highway to become unsafe for those using it."

Concerns were also raised by the council's Planning and Building department over the lack of lighting for parking areas, believing more needs to be done to protect residents.

The objection reads: "There is no lighting apparently proposed in parking courts yet there are trees proposed.

"It is likely that residents using these areas would favour the safety of some lighting, especially where trees may add shading in less used backstreet areas."

One resident who lives in Launcelyn Close also criticised the plans, believing the homes and roads are "completely out of character" with North Baddesley.

Linda Knight said: "I wish to reiterate that all the house designs and the layout of the roads in these plans are completely out of character with the rest of North Baddesley and should be rethought."

A spokesperson from The Ashfield Partnership said: "The Ashfield Partnership welcomes the officer’s report and recommendation to the committee and was pleased by the comments of the design review panel."

This comes after plans to build 300 homes in the village were approved in 2018 after a two-year wait.