Council planning chiefs have given the green-light to demolish buildings at a former builders merchant to build more than 30 “much needed flats”.

The site, a former builders yard, Solent Brick at 8 Brockhurst Road, Gosport, has been empty for a number of years, the council officer report said.

The 4,081 square metre site is surrounded by residential and commercial buildings and is next to the Royal Mail sorting office. It is on the north side of Brockhurst Road close to Forton Road and Anns Hill. 

The Gosport Borough Council regulatory board meeting on October 23 took less than eight minutes to unanimously approve application reference  23/00427/FUL from Wayne Johnson, co-owner of Gilkicker Builders Ltd.

Councillor Kirsten Bradley (Lee East) said: “It is a well needed property, and much needed flats in the borough.”

The L-shaped modern design is for a three storey high, flat roof, single detached building of 31 flats. The 26 one-bedroom and five two-bedroom flats will be sold on the open market. 

Council documents said the 8.4 metre high building will be rendered and clad, and has a number of two-storey projections with Juliet balconies proposed in the main living areas.

 A parking area at the front of the building will provide 40 spaces, including two disabled spaces and five electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

At the regulatory board meeting the council officer said the spaces were unallocated and more EV charging points could be provided if and when they were needed.

There will be two cycle stores for 36 bikes and a refuse store behind one of the flats and one within the main flat block. 

Above 10 houses in a development normally means a developer must provide 40 percent affordable housing or a contribution in lieu somewhere else. According to the council officer’s report a viability appraisal and a specialist consultant concluded a contribution in-lieu of such a provision “was not reasonable.”

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board, a consultee on the application, said the proposed 31 flats will create a population of 69 new residents. 

According to officer’s report, the integrated care board proposed that the new residents register at The Willow Group and Blossom Health at the Gosport War memorial Hospital in Bury. It proposed the developer contribute £614 per home to create the new facilities including clinical rooms and reconfiguring patient records. The report concluded it “was not possible” to secure a contribution towards care improvements either.

A former planning application in 2021 that was withdrawn, had put forward plans for two buildings, creating 42 flats. After the meeting, board Chair Councillor Richard Earle (Lib Dem, Elson) said the approved single detached building was a much better design even though there were less flats.