Plans submitted to build 115 houses in Worting Park

CALA Homes (Thames) Ltd and landowner Southrope Developments Ltd are seeking planning permission to build the houses near Grade II listed Worting House.

The developer also submitted a listed building consent application for the demolition of an existing vehicle repair centre, workshops and stable buildings at Worting Park and to build 115 dwellings.

The site is around seven hectares in size and is set within the wider Worting Park estate.

READ MORE: Application submitted for 130 dwellings in Worting

Southrope Developments has been the owner of Worting Park since 2000.

Although the original plan of the landowner was to build 300 dwellings at this site when it was proposed in 2016, the current plan is for 115 houses and is limited to the southwest part of the parkland in order to minimise the impact on the Worting House.

The project includes provision for affordable housing, a neighbourhood centre comprising village hall community building and a children's pre-school nursery, a new vehicular and pedestrian access off Worting Road, new public open space, drainage attenuation ponds and swales, new pedestrian and cycle routes, landscaping, parking, refuse storage and associated works.

Worting House, a Grade II listed manor house built between 1714 and 1727, sits to the east of the proposed project.

The plans also seek repairs and alterations to a historical Walled Garden.

According to the proposal, the development will see 69 market-rate houses and 46 affordable houses.

The market houses include 17 two-bedroom, 30 three-bedroom and 22 four-plus-bedroom dwellings.

Among the social and affordable houses, 24 are for rent – four one-bedroom, 15 two-bedroom, three three-bedroom and two four-plus-bedroom dwellings.

The rest are for affordable home ownership – eight one-bedroom, seven two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom dwellings.

The application has so far received four public comments – all objecting – on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s planning portal.

Chris Comer, one of the neighbours who commented on behalf of Basingstoke Heritage Society, said there is a “number of concerns regarding the quantum and extent of housing proposed”.

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He wrote: “The committee of Basingstoke Heritage Society, although mindful of the reduction and limitation of the development to the southwest corner of the site, believes that the high level of harm to the non-designated parkland means that this application should be declined.

“At this stage, it is not considered that the benefit identified would outweigh the concerns raised.”