‘Economic catalyst’ plans for New Forest move forward

AN EMPLOYMENT development which will be a “significant economic catalyst” for part of the New Forest has cleared a key hurdle.

McCarthy Investments secured outline planning permission for plans to use land at Calmore Croft Farm in Salisbury Road, Calmore, for up to 22,000 square metres of logistic and warehouse uses with office space.

The approval from members of New Forest District Council’s planning committee related to the principle of the development and access.

A new traffic light crossroad junction between the A36, A326 southbound sliproad and the site will be created as part of the scheme.

Detailed matters about the appearance, layout, landscape and scale of the scheme were reserved for further planning applications.

Councillors were told the proposal had been referred to the committee meeting as it related to part of a strategic site in the Local Plan and there was an objection from Netley Marsh Parish Council.

The land is south of the A36 Salisbury Road and adjacent to the A326 dual carriageway.

A planning officer said the strategic allocation included an aim to deliver around five hectares for business and employment uses.

The proposal largely aligned with the area assigned for employment use, while the wider allocation has an expectation of providing 1,000 homes.

Land earmarked for employment elsewhere in the district in Ringwood and Fawley were showing no signs of progress at present, the committee heard.

Agent for the applicant, Stuart Goodwill, of Planning Issues, said the development would provide 17% of the district’s entire employment need over the 20-year Local Plan period.

Mr Goodwill said there was a “global partner” ready and waiting to deliver the site, and the issues raised in objections generally related to reserved-matters application subjects.

He said the introduction of a traffic light junction was designed in full discussion with National Highways and Hampshire County Council.

Jobs created during construction and when the site is occupied would be a “significant economic catalyst” for the local area, Mr Goodwill added.

Committee members shared concerns over active transport to the site and HGV traffic queuing back onto the A326 due to the new traffic light junction.

The outline application did not seem “fleshed out enough” in terms of detail, said Cllr Jack Davies.

Cllr Malcolm Wade said: “Really there is no reason to object to this because we need employment land for all the people that are going to live around it. We have got loads of housing that we are going to be building there as well.

“The two things sort of marry together and it is located for the distribution perspective in a good place.”

The outline application was approved in line with the officer’s recommendation, with 10 votes in favour and one against.