Application to develop Cork's Farm in Marchwood with up to 150 homes

MAJOR plans to build up to 150 new homes and employment space on former agricultural land in Marchwood have been submitted to New Forest District Council.

Oceanic Galaxy Ltd has put forward the proposals for Cork’s Farm, a site just over 12 hectares.

The land, which is currently vacant but was previously used for agriculture, has been identified in NFDC’s Local Plan for development for at least 150 dwellings.

The outline planning application includes details of a new access point from Admiralty Way to the proposed residential part of the site, which would cover just over four hectares, and from Normandy Way to the proposed employment area, which is just over three hectares.

Documents stated the applicant would build 142 homes if approved – but it is asking for permission to be granted for up to 150.

This would be a mixture of two, three and four-bedroom houses and two bedroom flats. In total 50 units would be affordable homes.

The application has already attracted 25 letters from the public, with 24 against the proposals.

Concerns include loss of green space and the impact on local amenities, wildlife and traffic.

One objector wrote: “As we recently found out when an accident occurred on the Marchwood bypass, the road network completely ground to a stop.

“It was impossible to leave the village until long after midday.

“Thankfully these instances are not regular but it just shows that if anything happens to the surrounding road network we are stranded. Careful consideration needs to be made on how the increased volume of traffic is going to be handled.”

Around five hectares of land would be allocated as green amenity space and there would be 349 parking spaces, the plans showed.

The application stated: “The form of development is proposed as two distinct areas – to the west is an area intended for employment use and to the east an area for residential development.

“The extensive area of open space provides recreational and green amenity space for the new and existing homes.

“The size of the proposed development at Cork’s Farm, seen within the wider context of Marchwood, represents a relatively small increase to the urban form of the town.

“The redevelopment of Cork’s Farm is modest and provides a natural extension of the Admiralty Quarter within the conservation area.

“The employment use is easily accessed off Normandy Way and will not impact the surrounding residential development.”

NFDC is scheduled for a decision on the application after public consultation period ends on 5th January 2022.