Plans to build four detached family homes in an extension of a private road in Southampton have been approved.

The proposals for land at Leah Close in Bassett attracted 21 objections from residents in neighbouring roads and opposition from ward councillors.

The application from Yardley Homes Ltd went before members of the city council’s planning and rights of way panel on Tuesday, February 11, due to the number of objections.

Councillors on the panel supported the recommendation of planning officers and granted the scheme for four four-bed homes.

Members were told that the existing seven houses in Leah Close came forward under two separate applications, which were allowed at appeal after refusal by the council’s planning committee.

Speaking against the new development, resident Lisa Waghorne said she believed the privacy impact on properties in Seymour Road had not been addressed.

She also said shadowing from the new homes would have blocked light into gardens of existing homes for a large portion of the day.

“This really does degrade the quality of life for the residents that live there whether or not it is under the regulations,” Ms Wagorne said.

Fellow objector Andrew Taylor said biodiversity net gain requirements would not be met.

Representing the applicant, Jack Bell, of planning consultants Luken Beck, said the four energy-efficient family homes would assist in meeting Southampton’s housing shortfall.

In response to concerns over damage being caused to Leah Close during construction, Mr Bell said the applicant had committed to independent road condition surveys which would identify any issues that could be repaired.

“The proposals presented before you have been shown to comfortably provide four high-quality family homes in a highly sustainable location, which assimilate well with and form a natural extension to the existing properties on Leah Close,” Mr Bell said.

Liberal Democrat Bassett ward councillor Sarah Wood spoke out against the development at the meeting, raising concerns around access and biodiversity.

A planning officer told the panel that while there would be an impact, including shadowing on gardens in existing homes, it would not be “significantly harmful” and complied with regulations.

They added that the council’s ecologist was satisfied with the proposals.

Planning panel chair Cllr Vivienne Windle said: “I think one of the things that we are told is that because of our lack of land supply for housing, we have to make that quite weighty when we are considering these housing applications.

“Despite some of the problems, like many planning applications, I find in this, I’m not sure in this all the mitigations possible have been taken.”

She said she was voting to approve the application as she did not feel the objections raised any matters that were material enough to turn down the proposal.