New Forest District Council grants Colten Developments Ltd permission for 54 new homes off Milford Road, Pennington

PLANS for 54 new homes in Pennington – of which 50% will be affordable – have unanimously been approved by New Forest District Council.

Colten Developments Ltd submitted an application to develop land north of Milford Road, which is currently used for grazing and allocated in the Local Plan for a minimum of 185 dwellings.

The application for a mixture of one and two-bedroom flats, as well as two, three, four and five-bedroom houses, also includes a new vehicular access on Milford Road.

Of the properties, 27 would be earmarked as affordable, split between social rent and shared ownership.

While Lymington and Pennington Town Council recommended permission, there were 11 letters of objection. Concerns were over the impact on the A337, it being out of character, overlooking, construction noise and dust, and flooding.

A report to members of the planning committee, which met on Wednesday, recommended the application be approved. It said: “Overall, given the significant public benefits including the delivery of needed market housing and affordable housing and the provision of substantial new public open space, the proposal is acceptable.”

Cllr Jack Davies said he was “fully in favour” of the scheme, adding: “Speaking as a young person in Pennington, one of the things we are crying out for is one and two-bed flats. This I hope – and I will be very angry if they renege on that – will at least provide the people in Pennington somewhere to live.”

Cllr Malcolm Wade said he was “pleased” with the development, adding: “This to me is a complete development, all the boxes are ticked and I believe it will deliver the social housing we want.”