CONCERNS have been raised over plans submitted to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) to build a series of properties in Oakley.

The plans are for a vacant house in Pardown, Oakley, to be demolished and replaced with four new four-bedroom houses, with amenity space and additional parking.

Oakley and Deane Parish Council Planning Committee is supportive of the project, but have raised several objections to the proposal in its current format.

The committee said: “We oppose the use of rising bollards, because any vehicles that enter the site up to the bollards will then have to reverse back out onto Pardown, causing a hazard to other road users.

“It also means only the residents will be able to access off road parking, so if any deliveries etc. are to be made, all vehicles will have to park in Pardown, which will cause an obstruction.

“There is no provision for visitor parking on site and definitely not any parking in Pardown. All this amounts to a danger to road users and pedestrians as there is no pavement.

"The Parish Council and the residents of Oakley would very much like to see this site developed, but unfortunately we must object to this application as it stands at present regarding overdevelopment of the site and inadequate off road parking and turning area.”

The proposed use of rising bollards has also caused concern with neighbours in Pardown, who have lodged objections to BDBC.

The applicant describes the four new houses as: “Traditional vernacular buildings in the area and the more immediate building at the top of Pardown, which combines aged brick and timber”.

The proposals describe the buildings as having black cladding, which one neighbour described as ‘ugly’.

In a submission to BDBC, Nicola Abley said: “The proposed design of the houses does not complement any of the houses in the village of Oakley and is especially not in keeping with the houses in Pardown. The style of the houses proposed are extremely ugly with the black cladding.”

A decision on the plan is due to be made by October 17. To comment, go to planning.basingstoke.gov.uk/online-applications/ and search using the code 17/02878/FUL.