A PLAN earmarking sites for hundreds of homes in the Fordingbridge and Ringwood area has been supported by government inspectors.

The New Forest District Council Local Plan sets out the planning strategy for the area up to 2036, outside the National Park.

In Fordingbridge, the plan has earmarked developments of at least 140 homes on land to the north of Station Road, and Ashford with at least 330 more on land at Whitsbury Road. This would be in addition to the 145 homes which have already been permitted. But a modification to the plan has been recommended to include an additional parcel of land at Burgate, within the boundary of ‘Strategic Site 18’, for a further 50 homes - increasing the figure from at least 350 to 400.

And in Ringwood, the plan outlines proposals for at least 480 new homes for land north of Moortown Lane and 270 homes on land to the north of Hightown Road.

Now, this plan has been supported by government inspectors following a 17-month examination process.

The district council’s planning portfolio holder and deputy leader, Councillor Edward Heron said: “The government inspectors have fully endorsed our vision and strategy for the future of this area. The council has worked hard to strike the right balance to ensure the long-term protection of our sensitive environment and the character of our area including the Green Belt, whilst also providing the right amount and mix of new homes, jobs and facilities that our communities need.

“I am very pleased that the government inspectors agreed and recognised, thanks to the exceptional work of the council’s planning policy team and the strength of the evidence they prepared and presented, that this area needs a bespoke approach to get that balance right

“The Local Plan can now be adopted as the statutory basis for planning decisions the council will make about development proposed in our area.”

The plan allocates additional land for new housing development at Totton, Marchwood, New Milton, Ringwood and Fordingbridge in particular, and promotes the redevelopment of the Fawley Power Station site as a new community with some 1380 new homes, and employment growth.

The council says the plan aims to direct a significant proportion of this new development towards housing tenures which will be affordable to local people, with all new development making a positive social, economic and environmental contribution to the community and business life of the area.

It also says policies have been put in place to ensure new development has “no adverse impact on environmentally sensitive areas in and around the district”.

The council will now consider formally adopting the new planning strategy as part of the development plan for the area at its next full council meeting which is planned for May. It is now working on the second part of its local plan 2016-2036.