A housebuilder has returned from the drawing board with new plans to build on gap land in a south of Butser village.

Barratt David Wilson Homes has revised its controversial proposals to build housing on greenfield land south of Chalton Lane in Clanfield.

The firm appears to have scaled back its ambitions for Sunderton Fields having originally sought to build up to 200 homes on the 28.8 acre site.

That figure has been dropped to “up to 180” in the latest outline application with the latest plans including a widening of the “central open space” that divides ‘OId’ and ‘New’ Clanfield.

“The central open space has been designed to respond to the site’s characteristics and its setting close to the South Downs National Park,” states the applicants in their updated Design & Access Statement.

“There’s also a reduction of dwellings across the site to ensure all development is not taller than two-storey and to reduce the overall density of the site.”

The outline proposals also include a new five-metre “planted landscape buffer” close to the boundary of Nickleby Road properties and a widened green corridor along the site’s eastern boundary on Sunderton Lane.

“The design has been subject to a variety of consultations and is seeking to adapt to local aspirations and concerns,” added the spokesperson.

“Ultimately, as a result of the public event, the housing numbers proposed have significantly dropped to deliver a range of housing that retains the local distinctive views and maintains the separation of Old and New Clanfield.”

PP Sunderton Lane Fields Clanfield
The land between 'Old' and 'New' Clanfield is one of the last farm fields south of Chalton Lane. (Lois Jasper)

However, many villagers will need convincing with some accusing BDWH of trying to mislead with visual marketing.

Some have suggested the dots that represent houses on the applicants’ map don’t add up to 180, while others have accused the firm of using feedback from a select few residents to give weight to their plans.

“Minor alterations to landscaping, green corridors and the play area do not resolve the wider concerns about traffic, overstretched schools and healthcare, drainage, wildlife, loss of countryside and the impact on neighbouring residents,” wrote Gino Noviello on the Save Sunderton Fields campaign page.

Lois Jasper has been equally vocal about plans to develop one of the few remaining agricultural fields within Chalton Lane, calling the revised plans “highly misleading”.

She said: “The visual illustration is fundamentally flawed.

“While the developers have rearranged the housing ‘dots’ to make the layout appear more favorable, they do not even equate to the proposed 180 homes.

“The visual marketing is a far cry from the reality of what is actually being planned for our village – our community deserves an honest, transparent consultation process, not manipulative diagrams and inadequate compromises.”

For more details and to comment type EHDC-25-0923-OUT after following the ‘search planning applications’ link at www.easthants.gov.uk

Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.

Meanwhile, there’s also been a development of sorts on the south side of the village as the firm looking to build up to 150 homes on White Dirt Farm has been told by EHDC that an Environmental Impact Assessment will not be necessary.