New Forest District Council throws out plan by Danol Limited for redevelopment of New House in Market Place and Strides Lane

PLANS to extend and convert part of a prominent building in Ringwood into flats have been thrown out by New Forest District Council.

Danol Limited applied to create the one and two-bed properties at New House in Market Place and Strides Lane, as well as three ground-floor retail units and office space.

The application was voted out by NFDC’s planning committee after officers recommended it for refusal.

A report to members explained: “The proposal represents over-development of the site [and] the additional storey would be inappropriate in the location and overbearing and imposing on surrounding properties.

“It is out of keeping in the Market Place, which is at the heart of the town's conservation area, and would be detrimental to the listed buildings in the vicinity. There is also some concern about the impact on views from the surrounding area, both within the town and from a distance.”

The application was also contrary to the design code in the Ringwood Neighbourhood Plan, it added.

Three letters of representation were received from The Ringwood Society, with concerns over the height of the building, the “bulky and conspicuous” appearance, and the threat to the conservation area.

Cllr Philip Dowd told the meeting the proposals were “out of keeping”.

Cllr Phil Woods added: “It certainly doesn’t comply with the Ringwood Neighbourhood Plan and they worked hard to put that into position; they got a majority vote in favour of it and if we are in favour of democracy, we should follow these policies.”