A DEVELOPMENT of 12 luxury apartments with stunning views across open countryside could be built on the site of a former High Street garage.

The proposals come six months after Concours Motors vacated the Haslemere site of just over an acre.

It sold both the site and its Peugeot dealership earlier this year, after more than 30 years in the business.

Now a joint planning application by Strathmoor Developments and Concours Holdings has been submitted to Waverley Borough Council.

The intention is to build a partly two and partly three-storey block of two and three-bedroom apartments, with access from the High Street and 13 parking spaces.

Strathmoor Developments, a Godalming-based company was responsible for the Collards Gate development of two and three-bedroom homes at the rear of the White Horse, in the High Street.

Built nearly three years ago, the development went on to win a Waverley Borough Council design award.

The Concours development is planned for land at the rear of the site, following the demolition of existing buildings, once used as garage workshops. It backs on to more than 100 acres of beautiful countryside.

The proposed apartments would overlook the National Trust owned land of Swan Barn Farm.

Although Bernard Smith, the former managing director of Concours Motors, declined to reveal how much the site had been sold for, it is believed to be well in excess of a million pounds.

The current access to the rear of the site is expected to remain. Mr Smith told The Herald that the former car showroom at the front of the site, "would probably end up as retail use".

"We have had all sorts of enquiries including some from two furniture shops and an Italian restaurant," said Mr Smith

"The plans look superb and are absolutely right for the site," he said.

A spokesman for Waverley Borough Council said that officers had yet to give their recommendations on the proposals.

"We have literally only just received the application from Strathmoor Developments for 12 flats and have not had chance to complete an assessment," said a spokesman for Waverley.

But continued the spokesman: "At the moment we are not yet sure if it is brownfield site because the density needs to be worked out."

Because the application is for a small number of apartments, officers had not decided on the provision of affordable housing on the site.

"Until we have conducted a full assessment of the plans, we are unable to give any more information," said the spokesman.