Plans to create 182 new homes get green light

Construction of properties as part of the Whiteley Meadows site to start in January

THE development of 182 homes as part of the Whiteley Meadows site has been approved by Winchester City Council.

Housing developer Taylor Wimpey UK will begin construction of the homes, known as Woodlands Chase, in January 2020.

Woodlands Chase will feature a selection of two-to-fivebedroom properties, alongside 27 affordable homes available for rent and shared ownership.

Taylor Wimpey has pledged ‘a vast investment’ of £13m to services, facilities and infrastructure across Whiteley as part of the development, according to Roz Wells, sales and marketing director for Taylor Wimpey Southern Counties.

She said: ‘We understand that we’re building more than just homes in Whiteley, which is why we’re pledging such vast investment towards the facilities and services that are the lifeblood of the community.

‘It’s key that we build a sustainable development that will continue to thrive for many years to come.’

Alongside the homes will be several play areas, open spaces, and public art displays.

Whiteley Town Council chairman Mike Evans said he was confident that developers working across Whiteley were listening to residents’ concerns about the need for preserving wildlife and creating public spaces.

He said: ‘All the developers have listened to us. We have talked to them about the need for wildlife preservation, like bat boxes and sports pitches.’

The Woodlands Chase development will form part of the Whiteley Meadows site, which will see a group of developers build more than 3,500 homes north of Whiteley, including three new schools, a care home, a community centre and shops, creating more than 600 jobs.

More than £77m will be invested by developers to support local infrastructure.

Work to improve access to Whiteley via Bluebell Way is on track to be ‘substantially completed’ by the start of 2020, according to Cllr Evans.

He said: ‘We are planning that it will be open in the new year. It will take a lot of the traffic for the doctors’ surgery.’

Housebuilder Bovis Homes started building 300 homes on the site in August, with the first residents expected to move in towards the end of the year.