Planning officers have refused an application turn a "dilapidated garage" into a three-bedroom house for the second time.

A second proposal was lodged in February 2025 to build the house on unused land on Swaythling Road in West End after a similar plan was thrown out in April 2024.

But Eastleigh Borough Council has rejected this application too, saying that the land is not "considered suitable for the scale and design of dwelling proposed".

The site is a portion of "unused land" approximately 0.03 hectares between the gardens of neighbouring properties that currently hosts a garage, shelter and "overgrown vegetation", according to the planning statement.

An image of the current site, as seen in the application.An image of the current site, as seen in the application. (Image: ATP Architectural Design / Eastleigh Borough Council) "The site is near a variety of local amenities and leisure facilities such as a pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, sports and leisure facilities, and local shopping centres which are easily accessible from the site," the application says.

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It hoped to "sensitively redevelop" a "currently unattractive and underutilised site".

But three letters were sent in objection to the plan, citing issues such as loss of privacy through overlooking, noise disruption during construction and fears that the site was being overdeveloped.

The plans received three letters in objection from local residents.The plans received three letters in objection from local residents. (Image: ATP Architectural Design / Eastleigh Borough Council) Officers at Eastleigh Borough Council agreed with the residents' concerns, throwing out the plans for a number of reasons that included overlooking.

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A report from planning officers said: "Whilst in basic principle the site could be redeveloped for residential purposes, it is not considered suitable for the scale and design of dwelling proposed.

A mock-up of the proposed house to go on the site.A mock-up of the proposed house to go on the site. (Image: ATP Architectural Design / Eastleigh Borough Council) "That proposed would result in a poor quality environment being created for future occupiers, including poor quality external amenity space, poor outlook and lack of light due to the overbearing impact of the retaining structure along the eastern boundary, as well as adjacent trees.

"There is also clear potential for overlooking and loss of privacy from neighbouring dwelling which are situated on higher ground."

The report also shows concerns that there "appears to be insufficient room" to turn a car, resulting in "vehicles having to reverse up or down the access route".

Officers argued that this would "raise concerns in terms of pedestrian safety" as well as "unnecessary disturbance" to other properties on Eden Road.