Lymington Town Council votes against controversial Cicero Estates housing estate off Lower Pennington Lane

OBJECTORS to plans for a controversial housing development near Oakhaven Hospice clapped and cheered yesterday as Lymington Town Council voted unanimously against it.

More than 90 protesters from campaign group the Pennington and Lymington Lanes Society (PALLS) turned up to a special meeting of the council called to discuss proposals by Cicero Estates to build 82 homes on agricultural land east of Lower Pennington Lane.

Among them was Bob Hull, a former NFDC planning officer, who spoke on behalf of the group which has 750 members.

“On behalf of each and every one of them we urge you to raise strong objections to these planning applications," he said. "Only 18 houses share a boundary with the application site but already 336 objections have been made.

“The planning applications propose a seriously flawed, poorly presented and ill-thought-out development.”

Others criticised the plans for showing a “mundane” and “high density” development, with one comparing it to a 1970s-style housing estate.

There are also fears that the lanes around the estate are “too narrow” to handle the extra traffic the development would bring, with proposed passing areas ruled “inadequate”.

There were further concerns about the impact the estate would have on Oakhaven Hospice.

Andrew Ryde, from the charity, said the development would threaten the “privacy, tranquillity and privacy” of the facility. He claimed that there had been an agreement reached with the developer for at least a seven-metre ‘landscape buffer’ and provision of an extra 38 parking spaces for the hospice.

But he said the submitted outline plan showed the number of spaces had been reduced.

Councillors were also against the development, although Cllr Andrew Sutherland said he felt that many of the objections to it were “very similar” adding: “The whiff of nimbyism is very strong.”

But he said he would be voting against it on the grounds of “poor design and layout”.

Cllr Alan Penson said he also thought the design was “awful”, adding: “It is very army barrack-like.”

Cllr Jacqui England agreed, saying: “This town deserves better. We need more affordable housing but I don’t think what is in front of us today is fit for purpose.”

The council voted to recommend refusal on grounds including poor design, density and inadequate mitigation of the effect the development would have on the hospice. The application will now go to the NFDC’s planning committee.

Speaking after the meeting, Pennington resident Susan Hood said she supported the scheme and was was “very angry” about the council's decision.

“Young people can’t afford to live here any more," she said. "My son has been in the army for 15 years but he has had to move away to buy a house. The houses down the lanes are owned by rich people, and a lot are second home owners. That’s why they don’t want this estate.”

Her daughter Jenny said: “I have no hope of buying a home in Lymington. There is lots of provision for over-60s but nothing for anyone younger.”

Speaking to the A&T after the meeting, Jason Lewis, owner of Cicero Estates, refuted Mr Ryan’s claims about Oakhaven, saying: “What was said in the meeting is not a fair reflection on the discussions that have taken place.

“I have donated to Oakhaven Hospice myself in the past and am a big supporter of it.”

He pointed out that the land he wants to build on is part of Strategic Site 6 in NFDC’s Local Plan and has been allocated for up to 100 houses.

He said that he was “more than willing” to engage with local residents about the development, adding: “This land will be built on by us – the opportunity is there for residents to engage with us about what they would like to see there.”