IS it four houses or 47? The big question at last week’s joint planning committee at Town Hall, Romsey.

Councillors of Romsey Parish and Romsey Extra discussed the application by Stratland Developments for four homes on plot 64 at Oxlease Meadows, north of the current development site.

Objections have poured in from residents with concerns around the future intentions of the developers after receiving paperwork through their doors in June outlining proposals for an additional 43 homes on the site which originally started as just one detached home.

The committee unanimously objected to the plans for four homes with more than 20 public objections.

Amendments to the access route, the development being outside the settlement boundary, the impact on the Fishlake Nature Reserve and the current state of the water course and drainage are just some criticisms.

Miya Molyneaux, resident of Oxlease Meadows, said: “Stratland don’t intend on building four houses, they intend to build forty-seven. Residents received a letter saying so.

“We’re not opposed to development, but we want it done in a safe way and that’s not coming through.

“It was sold that this magnitude of development would not be happening.”

Cllr Matthew Southey commented: “A single house was the red herring for four houses, four in the passage for forty-seven.”

Cllr John Critchley said: “There is a problem with the sewer, it stank when I was down there the other day and the emergency access at the north end would be a betrayal if you ask me. Fishlake Meadows is the most open end, one house would be ok but not beyond that.”

Sebastian Clarke, project manager at Stratland Estates, told the Romsey Advertiser, changes to the access route include building a bridge linking the footpaths so people don’t have to walk around Cupernham Lane and there are no plans for the cul-de-sac to become a `through road`. Residents will still get an access route for emergency vehicles with barriers.

Tom Hanslip, managing director at Stratland Estates, said: “We are surprised at the nature of complaints from some of the residents of the newly built Oxlease Meadows. We are sure the residents of Oxlease Meadows appreciate the irony of their objections to a neighbouring proposal, when they themselves are benefitting from the new homes we secured planning permission for on the same site.”

Test Valley Borough Council has published a report after receiving the joint planning committees’ objections stating they have approved the four homes with conditions that plans for nitrate mitigation is legally dealt with.

The report also says there are no objections from Highways Agency regarding the changes to access and the development of four homes is not enough of an increase in traffic to have a detrimental effect.

TVBC also make it clear that they cannot take into account, the public consultation of 43 homes at this stage, they must deal with the application in front of them.