Fordingbridge plans hit with costs of £1m after Roman village found

Developers Cala Homes has had to amend its plans on land north of Station Road after a recent discovery of the remains of an Iron Age and Roman village.

Expected to have only cost £53,500, Cala has had to readjust its plans to match the original profits with amendments including a change in size of houses and conversion of carports/barns into garages.

On the corrected cover letter, Alison Thompson, senior planning manager, said: "The fee proposal associated with these works was £53,500 and would take a few weeks to complete.

"During these works, the remains of a village were discovered which we are advised had been continuously occupied for 400 years spanning the late Iron Age and Roman.

"The costs are now circa £900,000 plus VAT; which is a significant increase from the £25,000 costs anticipated in the viability."

Ms Thompson said the remains were found to be present across a relatively large area of the development site. 

Cala Homes has been keen to state that it 'did not want to reopen the affordable housing offer' or 'dilute the architectural quality'.

It has promised no new house types will be introduced in the new application and that any house type substitutions will not change bedroom numbers and the overall private mix. 

As part of its attempt to reduce any possible loss in profit, new plans also include to convert approved carports/barns into garages to offer residents a 'secure car parking space rather than one which is open'.

Ms Thompson said: "This S73 submission proposes a series of minor-material amendments to the approved layout to deliver additional revenues to offset a significant increase in archaeological fees without any change to the overall affordable housing offer or architectural quality.

"Whilst there will be a small impact on overall private residential mix and floorspace this is not considered to be material with the overall number of homes permitted remaining at 198."