Planning Inspectorate upholds New Forest NPA’s decision to reject residential building plans for land in Sway

PLANS for a new residential development in Sway have been rejected for a second time at appeal.

Last year, national park authority planners turned down a proposal to build a three-bed home on land adjacent to The Antlers at Arnewood Bridge Road.

The authority said development at the site would conflict with the local spatial plan and have an adverse effect on the area’s character and appearance.

After the plan was rejected, the applicant appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to overturn the decision, but it has been upheld.

Explaining their decision following a site visit, the planning inspector wrote: “Even on the periphery of contiguous residential development along Station Road…the site falls outside of Sway’s defined village boundary.

“There is identifiable conflict with the authority’s spatial strategy for delivering new residential development (therefore) it does not represent a suitable location for new residential development.”

The inspector continued: “The proposal would unbalance the existing simple built form and lead to a contrived arrangement between the new dwelling and The Antlers, with the creation of a deep and narrow gap between the two dwellings.

“This would be a particularly incongruent feature in the context of the site’s immediate environs.”