Otter Nurseries in Hordle seeks permission from NFDC to keep extensions to cafe and car park

A HORDLE business has launched a bid to avoid having to take down extensions to its cafe and car park that were built without permission.

Otter Nurseries has submitted a retrospective planning application to New Forest District Council after the work was carried out in September last year.

The construction at the Milford Road site in Everton business comprised the garden centre cafe and paved parking area.

The application followed an "enforcement enquiry" by NFDC, but argued: "Local Plan policies are generally supportive of retaining employment and this is an established rural business.

"More particularly (specific policies) refer to development on such sites as being acceptable providing there is no harm due to visual impact, traffic generation or other activity."

The nursery was backed by a letter from the NHS which has facilities at South Efford House nearby where staff conducting newborn health checks often use the new car park.

It said parking on grass there in the winter used to be "wet, slippery and muddy, which exposes the organisations to potential risk of incident and liability claims".

It added: "The recent improvements to the overflow car park have been of huge benefit to people from the local area that visit the garden centre and also staff and patients using South Efford House."

One objector wrote to NFDC saying the extensions encourage increased traffic in an area with insufficient pedestrian access.

Comments can be submitted on the application until 7th April.