GAS discharge tubes and bonded asbestos waste could be being stored within a stone’s throw of residents’ properties if a planning application is given the green light.

Sovereign Housing Association has applied to Hampshire Country Council to change use of an area of waste ground in Tennyson Way, South Ham.

The site, owned by Sovereign, is surrounded by 29 properties; of which the association also owns.

A planning statement reads: “The waste and materials collected and disposed of here will only be from our works on our homes and no other persons will be legally allowed to use it.”

In the plans, it is proposed that Sovereign will hold eight skips and containers on the site which will store items including bonded asbestos waste, paints and waste oils from domestic property clear outs.

Currently the site is empty waste land; the surface is wild flowers and grass. The site is fenced off from all the surrounding properties with timber fencing.

However, ward councillors in South Ham are opposed to the application stating that it is “inappropriate for the area.”

Cllr Colin Regan said: “It is complete disregard from Sovereign that they want to store waste basically in people’s back gardens.

“It is not appropriate for the area, and even through they claim it is all going store the asbestos safely it is still a concern for residents being that close to their homes.”

The entrance to the site will be between two properties in Tennyson Way, with some residents claiming they were not appropriately informed about the plans.

In a letter of objection, one Tennyson Way resident wrote: “I am very disappointed that residents did not receive formal notification of the change of use application. I had to find out via hearsay and look up the details of the application online for myself.”

Sovereign said that it is proposing to limit use of the site between 8.30am and 3.30pm on weekdays only.

Liane Sheppard, Sovereign’s operations director, said: “As part of providing our property and maintenance service for our 5,000 homes in Basingstoke, we’re looking to find a place to safely store general building and construction waste.

“We’ve therefore submitted a planning application, to ask permission to turn an unused area of waste land in Tennyson Way into a secure storage area.

“As part of the process we’ll be writing to neighbours and residents this week to get their views on this proposal, which will include rules around what can be stored on the site and when it can be accessed, in order to minimise any impact.”

To view the plan, go to https://planning.hants.gov.uk/ and search for the reference 18/00763/CMA.