Harnden Homes submit application to build five homes on Pennington WI hall plot

PLANS have been lodged with New Forest District Council to build five houses on the site of Pennington's 100-year-old WI hall.

Applicant Harnden Homes had initially said it intended to build a care home on the site, which is located on Lodge Road at its junction with Yaldhurst Lane.

The community building, which was purchased by the developer in 2021 after going on the market with a guide price of £750,000, will be demolished in April.

In its application, Harnden said the five three-bedroom properties would deliver much-needed family housing on a brownfield site.

Pennington councillor Jack Davies, who in the past has pushed for the hall to be retained, has spoken out against the plan.

"This application shouldn’t be happening," he told the A&T. "Local people are sick and tired of community facilities being torn down so that developers can make a profit."

As reported in the A&T, there is a similar row overt the town's former police station where plans for 32 retirement flats were recently withdrawn

Cllr Davies added: "I think the developer is living in cloud cuckoo land if they think they can cram five homes on that site.”

The applicant claimed the plot "clearly lends itself to redevelopment", however, and would benefit families who want accessibility to shops, services, and nearby facilities.

It added: "As the existing building is of limited architectural merit or significance, it makes little contribution to the visual amenity of the street scene or the character or local distinctiveness of the area.

"The redevelopment of this site provides an opportunity to create a high-quality scheme which exceeds the threshold of good design to enhance the area."

Cllr Andrew Gossage, who also represents Pennington, recently said he would be against any moves to build a care home at the site, wanting to see affordable family homes instead.

When the WI hall went on the market a group of local residents had explored putting together a rescue package to save the building.

But this was abandoned when villagers became aware of how much it would cost to repair the structure.

Cllr Davies claimed he had pushed for Lymington and Pennington Town Council to nominate the venue for listing as an asset of community value, which would have given it additional protection from redevelopment.

However, the town council said no such request to list the building was ever put forward for consideration.