Pennyfarthing Homes to meet angry residents over plan to restrict on-street parking with double yellow lines on Compton Road in New Milton

A DEVELOPER’S contested plan to stop on-street parking on a New Milton road for up to 18 months has been put on hold.

Pennyfarthing Homes is due to meet with some of Compton Road’s angry residents, who slammed its move to add temporary double yellow lines along an 80-metre stretch as “disgraceful”.

As reported by the A&T, the markings from the Hobart Road junction were proposed for work being carried out on the site of the former A&T offices.

The developer was given New Forest District Council permission to convert the main office block at 31-33 Compton Road into 10 apartments.

A workshop building to the rear and the building fronting onto 62 Old Milton Road have been demolished and will be replaced with seven homes and a three-storey block of six apartments.

Pennyfarthing said the lines, which were due to have been painted on Tuesday, would allow “safe access and egress” by large vehicles, including cranes.

The no on-street parking rule was set to have been in force seven days a week from 7am to 6pm.

But neighbours hit out at the scheme, complaining of a lack of consultation and fearing potential knock-on effects, including hampering medication deliveries and worsening inconsiderate parking on the unmarked stretch.

One resident, Allan Scott, told the A&T two members of a Ukrainian family he had taken in during the ongoing Russian invasion could lose their jobs.

He explained these were reliant on them keeping their cars he had provided, which needed to be parked on-street.

“If these double yellow lines come in, I’ll have to sell the cars and they’ll lose their jobs,” he said.

“I think it’s disgraceful that there was no consultation. This family fled a warzone, but they are suffering now more than when they first came here.”

The neighbours’ arguments that the Old Milton Road side of the site would be better suited for large vehicle movements have since been shared in a New Milton resident’s letter to the A&T.

Kelvin Witt, of Hilton Road, pointed out double yellow lines already stretched between Motor Parts Direct and Lush Signs on either side of the Old Milton Road frontage.

“This entrance was good enough for them to demolish the offices, and use a big High Mack digger to remove the concrete foundations,” Mr Witt wrote.

He continued: “I have lived and worked in the building industry for over 50 years around the New Milton area, and I have never known double lines to install on the highways to help builders with access to site.

“If this goes ahead every builder and developer will want the same. This would then set the precedent.

“Can you imagine, over the next few years all of the town roads will be covered with double yellow lines.”

Having previously said it was reviewing the matter, a Pennyfarthing spokesperson confirmed it was meeting with residents on Wednesday 14th August.