Royal Mail wins New Forest District Council approval to revamp empty Lymington delivery office

APPROVAL has been given for the Royal Mail to turn Lymington’s empty former post office into parcel centre.

It has been granted permission by New Forest District Council to change part of the empty ground floor level to a parcel sorting space and customer service point, amid a rise in online orders.

The front part of the building was vacated by the post office in 2019 when it moved to Rashley Mews. That branch remains trading and is unaffected by the scheme.

In its application Royal Mail said parcel volumes had increased and the delivery office had "outgrown its established space".

A suspected influx of new properties over the next two decades put "added pressure on the need to expand current delivery capacity".

As part of the plan, a new customer service point will also be provided. That will be entered from High Street, with the existing access point to the side removed.

NFDC received three letters of support but Lymington and Pennington Town Council had recommended refusal, asking for more detail.

However, town councillors said they would accept NFDC’s decision and were not against the development in principle.

NFDC attached conditions, including the windows remain clear glazed, it be used to promote community facilities, and a restriction on working hours to reduce light and noise.