CONTROVERSIAL plans to introduce 36 new retirement flats in Romsey on land which was earmarked for a pub, have been pushed back.

The proposal, submitted to Test Valley Borough Council (TVBC), is to introduce 15 two bedroom flats, 21 one bedroom flats, with facilities such as a residents lounge, a mobility scooter store, refuse store, office and a guest suite in Abbotswood, near Romsey.

The application, submitted by McCarthy and Stone, would boast 25 car parking spaces and would be located on land at Abbotswood local centre, Abbotswood Common Road.

Now a decision on the plans will not be made by the council until Monday, March 30.

A spokesperson from TVBC said: "An extension has been agreed and so [the application] is still under consideration.

"We’ll review the content of third party representations and consultation replies made to date and continue to liaise with the applicant about them.

"The agreed extension is until March 30."

This comes after 107 people signed a petition to stop the development.

Residents signed the petition to abolish the plans because the creator of it, Jack Andrews, would prefer it to be used as a pub, or a GP surgery which was another option for the land.

The petition also managed to rack up more than 50 signatures in just under a day.

As previously reported in the Romsey Advertiser, Jack Andrews, of Wyndham Drive, said they were appealing for signatures for a petition which "directly affects residents and visitors of Abbotswood in Romsey."

He emphasised the petition was not created because residents would rather have the pub, but "it's about the precedent being set if change of use is granted so readily".

He added: "There are concerns from everyone in the catchment area since they abolished the plans for the new Abbotswood GP.

"So 800 new homes have already forced to flood the only two GP surgeries in the area.

"They are now planning to add an additional retirement property, the GP surgeries will not be able to handle it."

Another Abbotswood resident, Simon Hayes, said he felt "badly let down" after plans were revealed.

McCarthy and Stone has been contacted for comment.