Crest Nicholson South’s plans for 443 homes on land off Moortown Lane in Ringwood recommended for NFDC approval

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to develop 443 homes on land off Moortown Lane in Ringwood will be debated by NFDC’s planning committee.

As reported in the A&T, Crest Nicholson South submitted a hybrid application for the site, seeking full permission for 150 homes and outline permission for up to 293 dwellings.

The land, about 29 hectares, is earmarked for development in the NFDC’s Local Plan.

The application is set to be discussed at a meeting of the planning committee next Wednesday (11th September) with a recommendation from the case officer that NFDC’s service manager be authorised to grant planning permission once all outstanding legal matters have been resolved.

However, the scheme prompted 117 letters of objection, with local people criticising the loss of greenbelt, the lack of local infrastructure, the impact on schools and doctor surgeries, and the mixture of housing proposed. It was also claimed the character of the town will be damaged by the development.

Other objections referred to the potential for flooding and increased traffic, as well as the loss of agricultural land.

Ringwood Town Council is also against the scheme, claiming it goes against the town’s recently adopted Neighbourhood Plan and does not provide enough affordable housing, demanding a policy-compliant 50% instead of the proposed 30%.

The developer has split the scheme into phases, with the first involving the delivery of 150 homes – a mixture of one and two-bedroom flats and three and four-bedroom houses.

Of these properties, 75 are earmarked for affordable housing through social rent, affordable rent and shared ownership.

Access to the site will be from Moortown Lane, including a new pedestrian and cycle crossing to the south.

Areas of public open space would also be created, including two children’s play areas.

The second phase – the outline application – would provide 58 affordable properties.

A report to NFDC’s planning committee states that the development will deliver a total of 133 affordable dwellings including 47 social-rented units, 46 affordable-rented units and 40 shared-ownership units.

It continues: “The proposal will include a substantial package of contributions of approximately £4.4m towards local infrastructure and mitigation.”

The planning report concludes: “Overall, given the significant public benefits including the delivery of needed market housing and affordable housing and the provision of substantial new public open space, the proposal is considered to be acceptable in line with relevant NFDC Local Plan policies.”