A decision on plans to build 13 homes in a Hampshire village has been deferred following concerns over road safety.

The proposal was due to go before the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) on 14 May, but a late “holding objection” from Hampshire County Council, acting as the highways authority, prompted councillors to postpone the decision pending further information.

Oliver and Miles Leslie submitted plans to build 13 homes and demolish an existing greenhouse at Downvale Nurseries, a former horticultural site in Droxford.

Speaking at the planning committee meeting, Miles Leslie said the site had been in the family for more than 100 years and had operated as a plant nursery until the early 1990s, where plants were grown and sold locally.

He said the scheme would make “a meaningful contribution” to the SDNPA’s housing targets if approved.

“We are working closely with our consultants to ensure workable solutions are being found,” he added.

Planning agent Rosalind Graham said the application was the result of “detailed technical work, meaningful engagement and thoughtful revision”.

“It is responsible and realistic,” she told councillors.

However, Cllr Danny Lee, speaking on behalf of Central Meon Valley residents, said that while redevelopment of the former nursery site for housing was “welcome”, there remained “significant unresolved concerns”.

He said: “I do not believe the application should proceed in its current form.”

Cllr Lee argued the scheme was overly dense and would place additional pressure on the local environment.

He added: “The environmental impact exceeds the ecological capacity of the site and the 13-dwelling scheme — almost double the scale discussed at pre-application stage — is therefore very harmful.

“Road safety is already a major local concern. This proposal would add additional traffic onto narrow village lanes with poor visibility and existing congestion, particularly around the school, where limited public transport means families are heavily car-dependent.

“This application creates an unacceptable risk for the South Downs National Park.”

Droxford Parish Council chairman Colin Mathisen also objected to the plans, describing them as overdevelopment on a “highly constrained” site.

Cllr Mathisen  said: “The site lies within a groundwater source protection zone and in close proximity to the River Meon.

“The parish council believes it has not been demonstrated that the long-term environmental risks associated with increasing the scale of the development can be adequately managed.”

The committee heard that Hampshire County Council had submitted a late holding objection over concerns for road users’ safety until further information addressing the issues raised had been provided.

In light of the objection, Cllr Gary Marsh proposed deferring the decision.

He said: “Personally, I think that until Highways are absolutely clear about this, the application should be deferred.”

Cllr Robert Mocatta agreed, saying the committee did not yet have enough information to make a decision.

He said: “We received an objection overnight from one of the main consultees.

“We are a decision-making body and we do not currently have the information required to make that decision.

“When we have a holding objection from the highways authority on safety grounds next to a school, I do not see how we can proceed until we have the outcome of that consultation and can feel comfortable with whatever decision we make.”

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The proposal to defer the application was supported by the committee.