Letter: Sensible New Forest driving, nonsensical New Milton housing plans

SIR – Thanks for the two sensible and good letters (Letters, 2nd December) about how sensible, observant people drive prudently past the ponies on Forest roads.

Are the animals grazing, resting or chilling, as John Walsh described it (Letters, 2nd December)?

Sometimes they are unlikely to move but, if not, then beware and be prepared for unpredictable movement.

Ponies on passage on the roads themselves is another matter, especially if they are stationary.

Compare this good, sensible attitude about the Forest, with the uncaring attitude of Pennyfarthing’s resubmission of an unsuitable application for a large housing estate on land adjoining the national park east of Brockhills Lane, New Milton, that until a couple of years or so ago was greenbelt.

A reduction of two dwellings from 164 to 162, and other minor cosmetic changes, is derisory and insulting to both the concerns of council's involved and even more so to the people of New Milton and their many reasonable objections to what is a bad, unsuitable development.

With the government’s recent announcement that councils will not be held to account if they miss targets on new housing numbers and concentrate any proposals on brownfield sites, maybe the councils concerned have the confidence to throw out this bad application once and for all.

Derek Redman,

Ashley