Residents were 'over the moon' after the council rejected plans to build a facility for the homeless in their community on Tuesday night.

The proposal to build a 23-bedroom halfway house, which was put forward by homeless organisation Two Saints, would have seen 180 Culver Road knocked down and replaced with the new accommodation block.

A halfway house is a centre for rehabilitating former prisoners, psychiatric patients, or others unused to non-institutional life.

SEE MORE: Residents hold their fingers crossed as council sets date to vote on new halfway house plan

Kings Furlong residents gathered outside the Basingstoke and Deane Borough council offices before the meeting last night (March 15) to encourage councillors to reject plans.

Residents have previously raised concerns about the drugs and violence the development could bring to the family housing area, the huge size of the building, and the anticipated drainage problems.

Basingstoke Gazette: An image shared by the residents showing how the area looks before and after the development.An image shared by the residents showing how the area looks before and after the development.

The planning applicaton was refused with councillors strongly opposing the plans.

Kenton Ashforth, who lives next door to the site with his three daughters has been fighting to stop the plans since December.

He said: “Sunlight will be hugely restricted for us and all the images show a shadow on our house, which will shade us.

“Our community would be destroyed, and we will no longer be able to use our garden. It would be incredibly intimidating, with a one metre metal fence as you leave our house.

“If and when there is an incident how can I assure my children that we can be safe.”

Basingstoke Gazette: This photo shows how the Culver Road will look from the west if the development is allowed. Residents said the path climbs up approximately 3.5 metres before reaching the building, which means the top of the proposed building would be 14.4m above other buildings.This photo shows how the Culver Road will look from the west if the development is allowed. Residents said the path climbs up approximately 3.5 metres before reaching the building, which means the top of the proposed building would be 14.4m above other buildings.

Residents were backed by Kings Furlong councillors, Cllr Sam Jeans said it would inject fear into “the heart of the community” and residents are “terrified of what would be on their doorstep”.

Cllr Arun Mummalaneni shared similar views and said the design of the building would “overpower” the community.

Other councillors on the committee struggled to find any positives about the development.

READ MORE: Protesters say new warehouse plans 'pull the wool' over resident's eyes

Cllr Sven Godesen, said the development is just “not in the right location” because school children often walk past it when travelling to school.

The leader of the Labour party Cllr Andy McCormick also opposed the plans.

He added: “I just think the benefits do not outweigh the consequences of building this development. Culver Road is not the right location, and I cannot support this.”

Despite this the chief executive of Two Saints said plans had been "carefully considered" to allow vulnerable people to get their "lives back on track".

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