A PLAN that sparked outrage in Fordingbridge, for a couple to live in a mobile home on a field, was due to be decided today.

Sophia Fletcher and Nick Crowe want to live on land off Puddleslosh Lane, Tinkers Cross, for three years to get an agricultural business, C&F Gourmet Foods, off the ground. But locals have written to New Forest District Council in their droves to protest against the plan, which they say would open the floodgates for people living on agricultural land all over the area.

Another application, to site containers on the land to accommodate farming of goats, garlic and mushrooms, was recommended for approval. The couple insist they are needed on site to make their new enterprise, producing speciality mushrooms, elephant garlic and goat meat, a success.

However an expert appointed to the council said his “overriding concern” was “that little (or no) evidence has been submitted to demonstrate a demand for the products, and at the prices quoted – and this remains a fundamental weakness.”