Opponents to approved housing off Brockhills Lane in New Milton threaten legal action unless decision reviewed

OPPONENTS to approved plans for 164 homes on the edge of New Milton have threatened legal action unless councillors look again at the decision.

The Residents Against Development of Brockhills Lane (RABL) group have said that without fresh consideration, they will have “no option” but to consider seeking a judicial review of how the scheme was given the go-ahead.

As reported in the A&T, the project by Pennyfarthing Homes sparked nearly 490 objections, plus opposition from the town council.

But after a deferral in December last year, it was approved at the second go at an occasionally stormy meeting in February, after planning officers recommended it be allowed amid road safety fears.

The warning of legal action was issued by RABL this week after a formal complaint was submitted by an unnamed individual to New Forest District Council against Cllr Christine Ward who chaired the planning committee meeting that agreed the proposals.

It accused her of breaking NFDC’s code of conduct by not running the meeting fairly or giving a chance for opposing residents and councillors to make their case properly.

Cllr Ward told the A&T: “I have responded to the complaint in accordance with the council’s procedures and I await the decision by the council’s monitoring team.”

RABL said in a statement to the A&T that it hoped NFDC would take the complaint “seriously” and look again at the decision.

It said: “We agree that Cllr Ward (and certain other members of the planning committee) did not behave in a way that was consistent with best interests of local residents, and believe that the decision by the planning committee to approve the Pennyfarthing application to build 164 homes on Brockhills Lane should be revisited.

“If the NFDC do not consider that such a review is necessary as a result of this complaint, then the RABL team will have no option other than to seriously consider taking the decision to approve the Brockhills Lane application to a judicial review.”

A spokesperson for NFDC confirmed a complaint had been made against Cllr Ward, who represents the Becton ward in Barton.

They said: “The complaint will be dealt with in accordance with the council’s procedure for dealing with complaints made against councillors.

“A decision will be issued in due course.”

Residents had argued Brockhills Lane was much too narrow for so many homes and risked a fatal accident if it went ahead.

But members ultimately voted to approve the application by seven votes to five. There were three abstentions.

They were partly convinced by a Hampshire County Council highways report which raised no objections and stated there would be no “unacceptable impact on highway safety”.

Half of the accommodation is planned to be allocated as “affordable” with 21 first homes, 13 social rent, 25 affordable rent and 23 shared ownership.

Among a series of highway measures, Pennyfarthing Homes agreed no residential units would be occupied until a crossing point and footpath link is provided along Brockhills Lane between the proposed footpath in the south-west corner of the site and the existing footpath.