FEARS have emerged there will not be enough time to scrutinise a huge housing development.

A proposal to build around 1,000 homes on the Basingstoke Golf Club site has been on the cards for a number of years, but towards the end of last year club members voted to accept an offer from Bloor Homes to develop the site.

A meeting was held with ward councillors last week with members saying the agreement reached between the club and the developer is that an outline planning application for the site would be submitted by March 29.

However, Councillor Terri Reid has expressed concerns about the short timeframe this leaves for public consultation and discussions with relevant authorities such as the county's highways department.

The Hatch Warren and Beggarwood member and deputy leader of the borough council said: "The question is can a housebuilder do that amount of consultation in that time frame adequately. I would be amazed if you can get things sorted out with highways in that time.

"Basingstoke Golf Club says that members have had a lot of to-ing and fro-ing on this [and so want to get started] but as councillors we say that this their problem.

"We have work starting on Hounsome Fields, the first stage of Manydown potentially starting this year and then the second stage of Manydown further down the line.

"You cannot plan this area of Basingstoke without doing it properly."

Cllr Reid added Bloor Homes had already spoken of beginning public engagement with sessions pencilled in for March 1 and 2.

The site is earmarked for around 1,000 homes in the Basingstoke and Deane Local Plan (2011 to 2029), which was adopted in May 2016.

John Lusty regional managing director for Bloor Homes Southern, said: “

We are currently aiming to submit an outline planning application in spring 2019. We are undertaking a comprehensive programme of engagement to ensure we take on board the views of the local community and other key stakeholders. This is very important to us.

“Pre-application discussions are already underway with both the borough and county councils, and we are planning to hold two public events to give residents an opportunity to have their say.

.”

John Hiscock, managing secretary at the golf club, said members were keen to begin the process due to the length of time it has taken to get this stage.

Planning consent has already been granted for 750 new homes at Hounsome Fields on the opposite side of the A30 to Basingstoke Golf Club, while 186 homes are being built at neighbouring Longacre.