New bid for controversial plan to replace former Lymington police station with retirement flats

A NEW bid has been submitted for plans to redevelop the old Lymington police station into retirement flats.

Churchill Retirement Living’s scheme for 32 homes at the site in Southampton Road was thrown out by a government inspector after the company challenged New Forest District Council’s refusal nearly a year earlier.

However, as reported in the A&T, the inspector had disagreed with many of the original reasons for refusal, including claims it would add too many homes for older people and hike pressure on local services.

Instead, he cited the impact on the Solent of polluting nitrates from the homes’ wastewater, and uncertainty over how this could be mitigated.

Now Churchill has resubmitted the same application, but with an update on the nitrates issues in a bid to address the sole reason for dismissal.

In a letter to NFDC, Churchill said it was now in "advanced stages" of securing credits to offset the development, which would be finalised through a legal agreement.

Campaigners had already vowed to fight on following the appeal dismissal.

Lymington and Pennington councillor Barry Dunning had maintained more retirement homes were “totally unnecessary” and wanted the site handed over to a housing association to build affordable homes.

The Lymington Society, chaired by Don Mackenzie, had written to Hampshire police and crime commissioner Donna Jones, demanding the site be put back on the market for affordable homes development.

More than 1,400 people had previously signed a New Forest West Labour Party petition against the proposal.

Churchill’s plan could see the L-shaped building, dating back to about 1952, replaced with a block of 21 one-bed and 11 two-bed apartments.

Three out of four public comments posted on NFDC’s planning webpages for the resubmission by this morning (Friday) were objections.

Reasons included there being too many retirement homes in Lymington and not enough affordable properties for young people and families.

The scheme also includes communal facilities, access, 12 parking spaces and landscaping.

The public consultation expires on Friday 13th January 2023, and NFDC is due to make its decision by 16th March.