Residents of a historic Hampshire market town are mounting fierce opposition to a major housing scheme spearheaded by a descendant of Queen Victoria. Timothy Knatchbull, the great-great-great grandson of the monarch and godson to King Charles, is leading a consortium seeking to build 920 homes on farmland bordering his family's Broadlands Estate in Romsey.
Royal Connections and Local Fears
The proposed development, put forward by The Ashfield Partnership, would see new homes and businesses constructed on land adjacent to the 4,500-acre Broadlands Estate. This historic estate hosted Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip for the first days of their honeymoon in 1947, and later Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1981.
Locals, however, are not swayed by the royal lineage of the project's figurehead. They accuse Mr Knatchbull and the developers of pursuing what is 'convenient' and cost-effective, while ignoring critical planning requirements. Key concerns centre on the omission of a promised footbridge over a railway line, which the council deemed essential for sustainable access to the town centre.
Infrastructure and Environmental Concerns
The scale of the development is a primary worry for Romsey's inhabitants. The addition of approximately 2,500 bedrooms could swell the town's population by up to 15%, placing immense strain on local services.
Richard Buss, a local resident of 35 years, highlighted the transport issue: 'If you don't have a bridge you are forcing everyone to use their car in an age in which we are trying to make people do everything they can not to.' Borough councillor Mark Cooper echoed this, stating the site is 'simply not sustainable' without easy, pedestrian access to Romsey.
Other residents point to an already overstretched NHS GP surgery and medieval road layouts ill-suited for a potential influx of around 1,800 extra cars. Dr Mark Willett warned of unsustainable pressure on health services, while Jeffrey Clark cited 'serious traffic and parking issues'.
Environmental impact is another major flashpoint. Opponents describe the targeted farmland as 'pristine countryside' and warn of destroyed wildlife habitats and lost green belt land.
A Scaled-Back Proposal with a Controversial Past
This outline application is the consortium's third and largest scheme in the area, though it has been reduced from an initial proposal for 1,100 homes in 2022. The plans do include provisions for a new primary school, business space, a community hall, and open spaces.
Mr Knatchbull, 61, is the grandson of Lord Louis Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India and a major influence on King Charles's upbringing. He survived the 1979 IRA bombing that killed his grandfather and his twin brother, Nicholas.
Despite the royal associations, Councillor Cooper insisted: 'To be honest I think it is irrelevant that it is Timothy Knatchbull. We just need to make sure that the estate keeps Romsey and Southampton separate.' The focus for locals remains on holding the developers to the original council requirements, ensuring necessary infrastructure is delivered to mitigate the significant impact of the development.
