Change.org petition launched after New Forest District Council approves Bargate Homes and Vivid Homes’ Pennington housing scheme

MORE than 150 people have signed a petition calling for recently approved plans for 110 homes in Pennington to be scrapped.

TV and video editor Adele Carroll set up the online petition a week ago on change.org demanding a halt to the development on land south of the A337 Milford Road.

As reported in the A&T, the outline application by Bargate Homes and Vivid Homes went through earlier this month under delegated powers after planning officers at New Forest District Council asked for more time to make a decision.

But Ms Carroll claims the proposed road design is “insane”, and argued plans were not sufficiently publicised before being waved through. She is also raising concerns over road safety, flooding and the impact of development on the environment.

“It’s all been a bit murky – a proposal has been accepted that a lot of people are worried about,” she said. “There are two more roads planned for the site and I think the traffic assessments carried out by NFDC in relation to the scheme were conducted during the lockdown.

“With normal traffic flows, this area will be dangerous and will quickly become gridlocked.”

Ms Carroll also claimed there had been “major flooding” in the vicinity of the site since the 1970s, and that water tables have been getting higher since then.

“We’ve had a wet spring so it’s now already a quagmire, and that’s where they want to build?”, she said.

“As for the impact on the environment, NFDC is talking about helping to relocate wildlife to different areas but how do you really do that effectively? How do you move a slowworm to a different area?”

To support her objections, Adele shared photos with district councillors of a collision between three vehicles near one of the proposed entrances to the scheme off the A337 last year.

“NFDC just didn’t listen to concerns over this, and I think a lot of people didn’t know about these plans. It feels like it’s gone under the radar a bit.

“In response, I’ve launched a petition calling for the development, especially on this insane road network, to stop. If I can get 1,000 signatories, then I think NFDC should listen.

“At last count it was more than 160 signatures in just one week. I fear if we don’t stop this it will become an accident blackspot.”

An NFDC spokesperson said: “As the planning permission has been issued, there is no further opportunity to submit representations to NFDC on that application.”

The housing scheme is set to offer at least 50% affordable housing with infrastructure for electric vehicle charging, high speed broadband, recreational areas, footpaths and cycleways.

The petition against the scheme is at change.org/savelymington