New Forest District Council approves Bargate Homes’ scheme for 90 homes on land south of Milford Road despite objections from residents

PLANS for 90 new dwellings in Pennington – half of which will be affordable – have been approved despite a raft of opposition from residents.

The reserved matters application by Bargate Homes for the development of land south of Milford Road included details on the appearance, layout and landscaping of the site, which had been granted outline permission for up to 110 homes in March.

The application, which was discussed at a New Forest District Council meeting on Wednesday, comprises a mixture of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes across apartments, detached and semi-detached dwellings, terraces and maisonettes.

As reported in the A&T, the initial outline plans drew criticism from locals, with more than 1,000 people signing a petition against the scheme after planning officers approved it under delegated powers.

Resident Adele Carroll, who set up the online petition, previously said the development would “damage Lymington irreparably”.

Speaking at the meeting she raised concerns over road safety and said there had been an “alarming” amount of accidents near to the site, with data showing 128 since 2001, two of which were fatalities.

She added: “Bargate [Homes] commissioned a traffic assessment report but this data was irrationally gathered in 2020 when national lockdown was in force.

“New Forest District Council should not place reliance on this skewed and incorrect data.

“New homes are needed, but this is not the correct site – the safety of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians should be the council’s priority.”

More than 70 letters of objection were also submitted by members of the public who raised concerns over an increase in traffic, noise, the impact on wildlife, flooding, pressure on existing infrastructure and taking issue with the design.

The application was also objected to by Lymington Town Council, which said while it supported it in principle, it had concerns over traffic and a lack of detail regarding solar panels and street lighting.

Discussing the application at the council’s planning meeting, Cllr Malcolm Wade said he understood the concerns of residents.

He said: “I totally have sympathy for the residents who live in the immediate vicinity because you’ve had green space and now you will get development, but from a planning perspective there is only one decision to make.”

Cllr John Sleep agreed, praising the quality and spaciousness of the development, and said while he understood the concerns, the development was needed.

Members voted unanimously in favour of the scheme.

Speaking after the meeting, managing director of Bargate Homes, Mark White, said: “Within the New Forest district there is a distinct lack of affordable housing, so we are pleased to have the go-ahead to provide energy-efficient new homes for those who wish to remain in the area or move here and haven’t been able to do so.

“Furthermore, this development will also help to attract working-aged people to Pennington to combat the current recruitment crisis.”

He added: ”The development will have a clear focus on sustainability.

“These homes will be constructed to the highest EPC-rating and surrounded by green space consisting of new wildflower areas and tree planting, a network of paths for recreation and dog walking, and ecological enhancements to support existing biodiversity and provide biodiversity net gains.

“Our team will now progress with pre-construction preparations, and we look forward to being able to break ground in the coming months.”