PLANS to build two houses in a back garden in Harnham have been given the go-ahead.

The two four-bedroom homes and garages will now be built at the back of 82 Britford Lane.

It comes after nine houses were given planning permission next door to the former Souchez plant nursery site in July.

Four people objected to the most recent scheme, submitted by Mr and Mrs Richard Harvey, with concerns over loss of privacy, overdevelopment, increased noise and extra traffic.

Speaking at a Southern Area Planning Committee meeting earlier this month, Mr Harvey said the "extremely large" garden had become "even more of a burden" to maintain since his sons had grown up and left home.

He told councillors he, and his wife, had looked for many years on how they could develop the garden but were unable to overcome access problems. However, when the former nursery development gained planning permission, its proposed access also enabled access to his own site.

Using the same architects as the nursery development, the plans involve building two "chalet-style buildings".

Ward councillor Ian Tomes who voted against the scheme said that while he understood why the Harvey's wanted to develop their garden, he believed it was overdevelopment of the site.

He highlighted the refusal by Salisbury District Council in 1990 for a single bungalow on the site due to access, overdevelopment and its impact on neighbours.

But councillor Richard Clewer said he could not see a planning reason for refusal which would stand up on appeal.

And committee chairman Fred Westmoreland said: "This is a simple and fairly logical extension of an existing development that has already been allowed. I cannot see any reason for refusal."

Six councillors voted in support of the plans with two against at the meeting which took place on January 12.