New Milton Town Council holds secret talks over plans to purchase derelict property Robins Nest on Fernhill Lane

NEW Milton councillors have been privately discussing plans to buy a bungalow on five acres of land next to the town’s cricket club.

Two-bedroom property Robins Nest on Fernhill Lane, next to Fernhill Sports Ground where New Milton Cricket Club is based, is currently listed for sale by Woolley & Wallis with a guide price of £925,000.

The Salisbury-based auctioneers promote the property as in need of refurbishment or replacing.

The surrounding land, described as “pretty”, includes paddocks and several outbuildings “in varying degrees of disrepair”.

A valuation of the property was viewed by the town council, which noted it included land earmarked for formal open space in the New Forest District Council Local Plan.

Members of the council’s executive committee discussed the matter in closed session at a recent meeting.

The minutes state they recommended making an appropriate offer subject to it being referred to the finance and general purposes committee.

This was again discussed in private session at Tuesday’s F&GP meeting.

Full council then endorsed the recommendation in private session at an extraordinary meeting in the town hall last Friday.

Members agreed “an appropriate offer” should be made to purchase the site for recreational purposes, funded by a PWLB (Public Works Loan Board) as appropriate.

Asked by the A&T why the matter was being discussed in private, town clerk Graham Flexman said discussing it publicly “may adversely affect our negotiating position”.