THE owner of a Basingstoke retail park is considering appealing the borough council’s decision to refuse its plans to develop the vacant site.

Equation Properties said it is “very disappointed” by the council’s decision to refuse planning permission to develop the former Brighton Hill Retail Park and is now “considering our options”.

It said the council’s refusal will “paralyse this prominent site for a considerable amount of time” and “forfeit the creation of up to 450 permanent jobs”.

READ MORE: Council refuses plans to develop Brighton Hill Retail Park

It asked for permission to develop the 3.24-hectare site, in Winchester Road, and erect two buildings for commercial and office use.

In August it was granted permission to demolish the existing buildings on the site but this was delayed while the company awaited a decision on its plans to develop the site.

The borough council has now refused the company’s application to turn the site into a 24/7 commercial development, labelling it “dominant and intrusive”.

The retail park has been empty since the last retailer – Carpetright – left on June 24.

SEE ALSO: Noise concerns over development of retail park as plans submitted

Equation Properties said the site has become “blighted by regular antisocial behaviour”.

A spokesperson for the company said: “We are very disappointed by the council’s decision to refuse planning permission to transform this vacant, brownfield site, particularly given its sustainable urban location and the support that was offered for the proposed industrial use at the pre-application stage.

“The site is currently an eyesore which is blighted by regular antisocial behaviour. Nobody wishes this situation to continue any longer than necessary, however, the council’s decision will inevitably paralyse this prominent site for a considerable amount of time.”

They added: “What is most disappointing is that the council has forfeited the creation of up to 450 permanent jobs, where the annual combined wages of new employees could be up to £13.9m, a significant boost to the local economy.

READ ALSO: END OF AN ERA: Basingstoke retail park set for demolition later this month

“We are currently considering our options, including to appeal the council’s decision, which would come at a considerable cost to the taxpayer.”

In its decision notice, the council said: “The proposed development would represent overdevelopment of the site by virtue of the siting, scale and massing of the buildings and the inclusion of 4m high acoustic fencing.”

“The proposed development would have a dominant and intrusive appearance on a prominent gateway site, resulting in the loss of openness and verdancy of the area causing harm to the character of the area and the street scene.”

The application received 25 objections from residents, including a petition, and further concerns were raised by borough councillors which aired issues with traffic, the scale of the development, and noise.