Refusal for three new homes on East Martin farm site challenged

An appeal is being considered against refusal of planning consent for three new homes on a farm at East Martin near Fordingbridge.

New Forest District Council turned down the application for Martinique Farm in East Martin Road in October – it was proposed to replace redundant storage buildings with three new homes and two garages with access and parking.

The proposal was refused because it did not meet any of the exceptions for allowing new dwellings in the countryside.

Planners had ruled: “By reason of the increased height, bulk and massing of the proposed dwellings and their associated detached garages/car ports, this would result in an adverse and harmful impact on the character and appearance of this sensitive location within the countryside and Cranborne Chase area of oustanding natural beauty, when compared to the extant scheme for the conversion of the existing buildings on the site.

“The recreational and air quality impacts of the proposed development on the New Forest Special Area of Conservation, the New Forest Special Protection Area and the New Forest Ramsar site would not be adequately mitigated, and the proposed development would therefore be likely to unacceptably increase recreational and air quality pressures on these sensitive European nature conservation sites.”

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