A HOUSEBUILDER has unveiled plans to build 54 homes on grazing land that has been stripped of its green belt protection.

Ringwood-based Colten Developments is seeking consent for dozens of flats and houses on a 3.5 hectare site north of Milford Road in Pennington.

Colten says half of the proposed new homes will be affordable.

In a report published in 2020, planning inspectors said the site should lose its green belt status to help meet local housing need.

The Colten scheme includes public open space and a new vehicle access onto Milford Road, plus pedestrian and cycle links and other supporting infrastructure.

A supporting statement that accompanies the application says the affordable homes will help meet priority housing needs in the New Forest.

It adds: "A size and mix of market and affordable homes is provided to satisfy local guidelines.

"Sufficient natural recreational greenspace will be provided to avoid and mitigate the recreational impacts arising from the housing development on protected habitat sites."

The statement says the greenspace will also "soften the transition" between the development and open countryside."

A public notice giving details of the scheme has been published by New Forest District Council, which will decide the application.