AN INSPECTOR has given the green light to the biggest house-building scheme in Greatham for a generation despite more than 160 objections.

Cove Homes has won its appeal to build 37 homes on the Liss Forest Nursery site off Petersfield Road.

The scheme was rejected by the South Downs National Park Authority’s planning committee last summer because it did not meet at the 50 per cent affordable housing targets.

But both planners and the applicants have accepted that figure is unrealistic due to the impact of rising material costs and sales values on development.

The ruling means just eight affordable houses will now be constructed on the brownfield site with the applicants also providing  £75,000 for an off-site provision.

The affordable properties will be shared ownership and will contain a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom houses.

Planning Inspector JP Longmuir said the figure represented an affordable level of affordable housing.

He added: “The proposal would develop an allocated site, providing new market and affordable homes in the National Park, wherein provision is particularly challenging due to few opportunities.

“This is the only allocation for residential development in Greatham and the proposal has been shown to be viable.

“The level of affordable housing provision has been demonstrated to be acceptable.”

Work on the development, which will provide 93 parking spaces and 11 visitor spaces, must be started within the next two years. 

The original application drew 163 objections and one letter of support, with Greatham Parish Council citing its “disappointment at the very poor provision of affordable housing and the housing mix” in its submission.