Highway and flooding concerns over 97-home plan near Everton Road in Hordle

HAMPSHIRE County Council faced criticism for its “staggering” response to plans for 97 new homes in Hordle which residents say will make a dangerous road even worse.

The application on fields near Everton Road, by Bargate Homes, was debated at an extraordinary meeting of Hordle Parish Council on Tuesday evening.

New Forest District Council will make the final decision but advice from HCC was that it would not object on highways grounds, despite local concerns.

Proposing that the parish should “strongly” oppose the scheme, Cllr Ivor Spreadbury said: “I would like to voice my total dissatisfaction with [HCC]. I cannot believe the statements [HCC] are making regarding Everton Road.

“It is a dangerous road, and what’s been quoted here – I am absolutely staggered. In fact, in my opinion, I would say they are wrong, wrong and wrong.”

After initially submitting a “holding objection”, HCC said it will not object if Bargate Homes pays £167,000 towards future highways work within the site and improvements to surrounding roads, plus other conditions.

The 6.67-hectare site has been allocated in principle for at least 100 homes in the Local Plan, NFDC’s core set of planning policies.

Bargate’s scheme shows 49 affordable homes and 48 market properties.

An initial application for 103 homes with access points from Everton Road and Silver Street was submitted in January, but, following feedback, it was amended to 97 homes with the vehicle access from Silver Street removed and additional parking included.

However, local concerns over traffic, density and the loss of greenbelt and protected trees have endured with 75 letters of objection citing major impact on the village’s rural roads.

One resident warned: “Everyone knows, with the traffic going down Everton Road and the on-street parking, it is pretty much single-track. So how are they proposing to facilitate all these extra vehicles?

“We live in a rural area with small roads and we are talking about all these extra houses – the infrastructure isn’t here to support this.”

Concerns were also raised that the scheme could exacerbate flooding in Silver Street and Cottages Lane.

The meeting heard Southern Water had objected on the basis that soakaways and field drains will not work and there was no capacity in the existing surface water sewer system.

Parish council chair Cllr Maggie Hill told the meeting: “There is still a view that the application is out of character with the rural area and over-development.”

The removal of a significant number of protected trees was branded “unacceptable” by Cllr Alvin Reid who suggested two new trees should be planted for each one removed.

Cllr Hill added: “Last time we recommended refusal on quite a few grounds – and I don’t think anything has changed from then.

“On wildlife and biodiversity, I think we would still like to see some more environmental measures in the scheme.”

Parish councillors voted to recommend refusal of the application. NFDC will make a decision later in the year.