269-home scheme on Salisbury Road in Calmore set to be approved by New Forest District Council’s planning committee

DETAILED plans for a development of 269 homes in Calmore look set to be approved by New Forest District Council’s planning committee.

The scheme by Boor Homes and the Barker-Mills Hillyfields Trust follows the previous outline approval in January 2023 for up to 280 dwellings with details of access, open space and drainage.

The application now seeks approval for the scale, layout and appearance of the Salisbury Road site as well as further details of landscaping. It will be considered by New Forest District Council’s Planning committee on Wednesday.

In a report to the committee, the planning officer explained that the number of homes proposed had been reduced from 271 to 269 to address concerns about the design.

He also revealed the application proposed that 94 out of 269 dwellings would be affordable in line with the conditions of the previously agreed outline consent which required 35% affordable housing.

The planning report added: “The affordable housing would be set in a number of small clusters that would be distributed right across the development. As such, it is considered that the affordable housing would be distributed in an acceptable way and in a manner that would be sufficiently integrated with the open market housing.”

The “attractive and well designed” layout of the site was noted in the report, with the officer adding it “should provide good amenity for future occupants”.

Four play areas are proposed within the site, as well as other outdoor recreation spaces and an area for off-lead dog exercising.

The application is supported by Netley Marsh Parish Council, but prompted concern from bird conservation group Hampshire Swifts which felt that each home in the development should have an integrated swift nesting box, rather just than the 36 proposed.

An objection was also received from one local resident who said the site was an important green space buffer between the A36 and the M27.

Summing up, the officer said: “The proposed layout of the development, the scale and appearance of the dwellings and the landscaping of the site would respond positively to the site’s context, and would ensure that the scheme is of an acceptably high design quality.”