Change-of-use bid for commercial units on Lymington's Ampress Park look set for approval

TOWN councillors are opposing plans to allow industrial units in Lymington to be potentially used as restaurants, gyms or offices.

They have warned that the "equilibrium" of the local economy could be harmed by relaxing rules that currently restrict three units at Ampress Park to light and general industry.

The buildings were originally constructed by housebuilder Redrow Homes as a condition of its redevelopment of the former Webb's chicken factory – now Lymington Shores.

It was intended for the units to be occupied by small businesses start-ups, but they have never been brought into use.

To fill them, Redrow now wants to extend their planning use to include retail, restaurants, recreation and fitness, medical or health services, creches, offices, storage and distribution.

The application had been due for debate by New Forest District Council's planning committee last week but it was cancelled after the death of the Queen.

A committee report, which recommended giving the go-ahead, showed Lymington and Pennington Town Council had objected.

Members said retaining use of the buildings as they were was "crucial to maintain the equilibrium of the town".

Pushing for refusal, councillors argued Ampress Park should be "retained as a business park and not become a retail park".

However, planning officers responded in the report that Redrow has agreed to a condition the units would not be occupied by retail companies.

It went on: "Whilst the views of the town council regarding protecting the town centre are merited, it would be inappropriate to resist the direction of travel imposed by the government in respect of the flexibility of uses to make efficient use of land and buildings."

The buildings were constructed by Redrow in accordance with its permission in 2012 to build 168 homes on the site of the former Webb's chicken factory.

The report said: "In the time since this development was first considered appropriate to mitigate for the loss of employment at Webbs chicken factory at Lymington Shores, the technology used by small and start up office-based businesses has evolved dramatically."

However, should such businesses want to move to the site, any change of use there would not prevent them from doing so, it pointed out.

"The evidence relating to the viability of the original scheme suggests it would be unlikely to have delivered the amount of employment that is likely to come forward if the site is released from the obligations of the existing agreement," it said.

The plans are set to be debated by NFDC's planning committee on Thursday 29th September.