Sovereign Housing Association’s planning application to build 84 (up from 82) dwellings on part of former St Mary’s School grounds has been lodged with the council.
Image: Google

As reported in July, Sovereign has been developing its plans for a 3.4 hectare site adjacent to Monastery Road and Beech Avenue.

The new development - which would be accessed by road from current cul-de-sac Monastery Road, with new pedestrian access proposed to the east and Beech Avenue to the south - proposes 162 parking spaces along with “cycle parking, landscaped areas, play space and associated works”.

Says Sovereign in its ‘Statement of Community Engagement': “The plans seek to deliver an attractive, high-quality development of 84 new family homes of predominately two and three bedrooms, affordable housing in excess of council policy and extensive areas of public open space, including play space, within a parkland setting”.

A summary of how proposals have been “updated to reflect feedback received” following a summer consultation exercise is given on the housing association’s website.

Although at the time of writing there are two public comments on the online planning application, we understand that more are very likely to be forthcoming before the October 27 deadline.

Both comments so far object, and focus on traffic and parking.

A WhatsApp group (07740 416704) and email address (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) were advertised on a flyer earlier in the year for local residents wanting to liaise over opposing plans.

Update 12/10/22: Cllr Fuller (Bitterne Park, Con) tweeted, after publication of this story: "I have requested this application goes before the planning panel. The amount of traffic which will be forced along Monastery Road is a real concern."