A RETROSPECTIVE planning application has been submitted for hoardings around a former care home in Romsey.

Churchill Retirement Living is drawing up a scheme for a purpose-built retirement development at the former Edwina Mountbatten House care home.

However, local residents have been unhappy with purple hoardings which were put up around the site without planning permission.

Adverts had also been put on the hoardings to promote the care company. These were recently taken down, but another application has been submitted to put them back.

Pamela Kieffer submitted an objection to both applications. She said: “I object strongly to the proposed hoardings/advertising on the Edwina Mountbatten House site.

“I am very unhappy at the blatant disregard shown by Churchill as huge, unsightly corporate hoardings appeared around the site with no prior notice to residents or permission from TVBC planning authority.

“I see no reason why local residents should have to endure this ugly outlook which has been imposed on us.”

READ MORE: Neighbour objects to hoardings placed around former Edwina Mountbatten House

David Williams, of Palmerston Street, said: “The erection of this oversized hoarding has created a solid wall of block colour totally out of keeping in this conservation area. The highly reflective finish is amplifying traffic noise and is reverberating noise at our property.”

Dr Mark Viner, also of Palmerston Street, said: “The hoardings are completely out of scale and character to the surrounding area of historic, listed houses in a conservation and present an ugly outlook to residents opposite.

“I consider this proposal for hoardings/advertising totally inappropriate in scale for this site.”

Romsey Town Council's planning committee met on Thursday June 22 and decided to submit an objection. 

Cllr Ian Culley said: “It's horrendous. It's the main entrance to town, and people are greeted by a great big purple thing. The colour is dreadful. It needs to be more sympathetic to the surroundings.”

The plans can be viewed on Churchill's website. It said: “Churchill acquired the Edwina Mountbatten House following a detailed sale process, which was undertaken by the Edwina Mountbatten Romsey Memorial Trust, following their decision to close the former care home in July 2022.

“We believe the site will make the perfect location for a new retirement community, close to Romsey town centre, the proposed development would bring additional footfall for town centre traders and local expenditure. A new retirement living development in this location would also meet the local need for new homes specifically for older people.”

To view the planning applications online, search 23/01497/FULLS and 23/01496/ADVS on Test Valley Borough Council's planning portal.

Churchill Retirement Living has been approached for a comment.