Plans for nearly 500 homes on fields at the edge of Ringwood
PLANS have been unveiled by a developer to build nearly 500 homes over fields on the edge of Ringwood.
The draft scheme has been outlined in pre-application documents submitted by Breo Ringwood Ltd to New Forest District Council ahead of a full submission later.
The project, which would be the biggest currently proposed in the district, is for land north of Moortown Lane and is set to comprise 491 homes, plus public open space and outdoor sports facilities.
NFDC has allocated the site for “at least 480” homes in its Local Plan policies, along with the retention of about two hectares of employment land adjoining Crow Arch Lane Industrial Estate.
No formal application has yet been submitted by Breo, but NFDC is currently considering whether an environmental impact assessment of the site is needed.
The documents on the council’s website also reveal separate plans for 84 additional homes on Hampshire County Council-owned land adjoining the application site.
The developers are due to present their initial plans to a meeting of Ringwood Town Council next Wednesday.
Cllr Phillip Day, chair of its planning committee, told the A&T it was too early to comment on the application due to its lack of detail.
“As and when the application is forthcoming, it will be properly scrutinised,” he said. “Until we get some rather more detailed plans there’s not a lot to comment on.
“But I will say that there will be a huge number of issues to consider, including the impact on the town centre, on traffic and on the town’s infrastructure.”
Access to the proposed development would be via one or more new junctions on Moortown Lane, and a mini-roundabout would be installed at the road’s junction with Christchurch Road.
Proposals also include a new pedestrian and cycle crossing along Moortown Lane to
connect the northern and southern parts of the development.
The document stated: “In accordance with the Local Plan, the proposed development will provide natural greenspace corridors that connect the new residential areas to Ringwood and to the countryside.
“The development will either provide a community focal point in a prominent location, including ground-floor premises suitable for community use, or a contribution towards off-site facilities to be agreed pursuant to detailed discussions with NFDC.”
