RESIDENTS are vowing to stand firm after their homes were earmarked for redevelopment and “garden grabbing”.

Hundreds of homes are among the possible sites identified to meet new housing targets in Christchurch and one family has found out their property is already the subject of a “garden grabbing” planning application.

They are pledging to prevent the new houses being built by refusing to sell their home in Flambard Avenue but neighbours are worried about homes being targeted.

Neighbour Wendy Holt is among those who found her home was on the council’s report of possible redevelopment sites.

She wrote to the council to say she feels like she is defending her “castle”.

Wendy, 44, wrote: “It appears I am under attack from all sides due to excessive planning requirements within the Christchurch area. I am very upset that someone else has decided that there is potential to build on my property.”

Gardens at the rear of three houses in Flambard Avenue are the subject of the planning application by a Mr Willis to build five new homes Neighbour Nicky Prior’s home has escaped being on the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment by Christchurch Borough Council .

She said: “The developers who have submitted the application do not own number 24 and have aggressively applied for permission to build on a garden of a house they do not own.

“The family who live there were not even informed until we told them about the application and are terribly upset.

“Naturally, they are opposing the development and will not sell their garden to the developer.”

Judith Plumley, head of community & planning at the Christchurch and East Dorset Partnership, said: “The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) is an analysis of the land which could potentially become available for housing in Christchurch in order to meet a target of providing 3,300 new units of housing over the 15 years of our Local Plan.

“There is no question of forcing people to sell their land for housing. The analysis is simply to show land which could theoretically be developed, but all proposals would be subject to the landowner making the land available and also the normal planning process.”

‘Theoretical potential of sites’

CHRISTCHURCH council has identified hundreds of homes and plots of land to assess the “theoretical potential of sites in the borough”.

They have flagged up sites in areas including Highcliffe, Smugglers Lane, North Walkford , Barrack Road, Iford, Fairmile, Stour Road, Christchurch Quay and the town centre. The sites could provide a total of 3,125 homes.

The Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment document states: “Dorset County Council Monitoring information has shown that ‘backland development’, although highly unpopular, has provided at least 32 new dwellings between 2006-2011, equivalent to 6.5% of the total supply for that period.”

Bournemouth Council said it does not have people’s homes on their SHLAA.

Borough of Poole confirmed it did have people’s homes and gardens included but insisted any development would need the landowner’s consent.

Richard Genge, lanning and Regeneration Manager, Borough of Poole, said: “For planning applications sites can be submitted to the council by landowners, agents, developers or anyone that feels a site may be suitable for development.”