Hordle Parish Council tells Bargate Homes to “put people before profits” over 155 homes planned off Hordle Lane

A developer planning 155 homes at Hordle has been told to “put people before profit” despite the company pledging nearly a million pounds to the local school if their application is approved.

Planning consultant Ryan Johnson revealed at a meeting of Hordle Parish Council on Tuesday night that Hampshire County Council has asked for the contribution to increase the school capacity.

He said Bargate Homes would give the council £900,000 for the school if the development is built – a “normal condition” that a developer made a contribution towards the infrastructure of an area.

The company has submitted an outline planning application to build up to 155 homes including affordable housing at land on Hordle Lane.

It is Strategic Site 8 in New Forest District Council’s Local Plan which has allocated up to 160 homes there.

Mr Johnson said there was a “significant need” for affordable housing in the New Forest, adding: “Young families are being forced out of the area.”

It was the second time the parish council had considered the application, with the first in May.

Mr Johnson, from planning consultants Turley, said fears of increased traffic had also been looked at and a “build out” of the pavements along Hordle Lane would slow” it down.

Addressing complaints the development was “too dense”, he said the company had “lowered the density” of the development while NFDC wanted it to “up it”.

Mr Johnson said Bargate Homes was trying to “get the right development for Hordle” and was willing to listen to feedback and comments from residents.

But many angry members of the public at the meeting said that the village “cannot cope” with an estate of that size and that their concerns were being “ignored”.

They claimed streets in the village were already congested, and parking around the school was “chaotic” already.

Local lollipop man Ken Lane said “traffic had doubled” since he started his job 11 years ago.

Cllr David Horne said there was already “chaos in the vicinity of the church and the school”.

Cllr Maggie Hill, chair of the council, summed up the meeting by saying: “When we first met with representatives from Bargate three years ago we formed the impression that they were keen to work with the parish council to achieve the best possible outcome for Hordle residents.

“We were assured that our observations and requirements would be taken into consideration at the planning stage.

“It is now abundantly clear that this not taking place with the application before us. We are all being ignored, and the previous consultation was merely an exercise to satisfy the planning process.

“Hordle residents are being sidelined in order to maximize the profitability of the development. “

She went on to say that there was now a “degree of animosity growing” towards it, and it was expecting a lot for locals to feel able to welcome new residents who moved into the development.

Cllr Hill added: “We are fortunate to be living in this beautiful area and have no right to deny others that privilege. We call upon the developers to work with us once again to ameliorate these shortcomings and put people before profits.”

The parish council unanimously voted to recommend the application be refused.