ALMOST 20 people are objecting to plans for a new house in an area of surplus land at a Winchester college. 

The application is for a four-bed house at Peter Symonds College in Bereweeke Way, Weeke. 

The plans, which don't name an applicant, had received 18 public objections by Sunday, May 12. 

This comes two years after a scheme at the same location, for three houses, was refused by Winchester City Council and dismissed on appeal. 

Bereweeke Way residents are opposing the scheme. Ian Childs said: “Although the proposal states that the land is surplus to the requirements of Peter Symonds College, the planning application notes that there has previously been an approved proposal for the land to be used for sports purposes and this opportunity would be lost under this latest proposal. 

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“I understand that one suggestion you have received for mitigating the impact of this proposed application would be to move the garage to the northern boundary of the plot and to make retaining the trees and hedgerows a condition of any approval rather than simply a proposal.”

Ian Trinder is concerned about the potential loss of privacy. He added: “Loss of open space, sports or recreation facility- the land on which the new dwelling is proposed has previously had consent for cricket nets which was not implemented but could be resurrected in the future for the benefit of the local community and college students.”

Louise Williams is worried it could be a Trojan horse. “We are concerned that this one dwelling development is being used as a first step to implementing the fuller plan which was originally submitted for this site, which had very adverse impacts on the existing houses in Bereweeke Way. We would like clarification that this is not the case,” she said. 

City of Winchester Trust is also objecting: “There is still no assessment or evidence that clearly shows that this land is surplus to requirements. Indeed there has never been any explanation as to why the 2013 permission for the installation of cricket nets did not go ahead. In the decade since 2013, Peter Symonds College has continued to grow, and we have seen various applications that have sought to squeeze more facilities onto this finite site.”

The planning statement said that the parcel of land does not form part of the sports pitch and is surplus to the college’s requirements.

For more details about the application, search 24/00444/FUL on Winchester City Council's online planning portal.