THE “adverse impact” on the road network in Fordingbridge was a major concern flagged up over the Local Plan, which could see at least 800 homes built in the town in the future.

The town council’s planning committee discussed its response to New Forest District Council’s Local Plan, which sets out future housing in the district up to 2036, last Wednesday.

Under the new plan, some 10,500 new homes will be built in the district (in areas outside of the National Park). The plan has earmarked residential developments of at least 140 homes on land to the north of Station Road, Ashford with at least 330 more on land at Whitsbury Road, in addition to the 145 homes which have already been permitted. There would also be 350 homes on land at Burgate.

Councillors raised concerns about access routes and traffic, particularly at the Station Road site and the impact of neighbouring traffic from Alderholt in the town. The town council said the site was already “problematic” due to the narrow road and there were concerns that traffic would increase through the “already overburdened” town centre to give access to the A338 to employment centres in Salisbury, Southampton and Bournemouth.

“This policy adds to the traffic difficulties and damage to the fabric of the historic buildings located in the town centre of Fordingbridge which would not meet the strategy of accessible and the town would be less safe to use and visit.”

It said the impact on the town centre’s road network “must” be considered with proposed development in Alderholt for a minimum of 1,000 new homes in the East Dorset District Council Local Plan review.

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Fordingbridge Town Council also said the two planning authorities needed to work “seamlessly together” to produce a strategy for transport on the local networks.

Councillor Malcolm Connolly said: “We need to make sure that we have tangible evidence that the two authorities are talking to each other and see what future plan they bring to negate these problems.”

The town council said the strategic transport network assessment should be “revisited” to include the “cumulative impact” of the proposed development in East Dorset and should be in partnership with Hampshire and Dorset county councils as well as a scheme to resolve traffic issues in the town centre.

The town council said: “The strategy for locating large scale residential development in and around the town is unsound as there is little space for supporting large scale retail, leisure, cultural and business development suggested to make the location sustainable.

“As the main town for several villages identified in the plan, pressure has already been put on services in Fordingbridge so residential development both in the town and in surrounding villages without the possibility of large scale retail, leisure and business development is unsound.”

Councillors also raised concerns over higher demand on services as well as the accessibility of public transport and increased demand for parking as well as access routes to the A338.

The council said: “While there are emerging proposals to provide at leat one new access from land north of Burgate onto the A338, additional accesses will give cause for concern.

“Any such link road will only serve the Burgate and Whitsbury Road strategic sites and will not relieve the town centre or existing additional traffic volume created at the Ashford strategic site.”

Comments from the public consultation will be considered at a public examination of the Local Plan that will be held later this year by an independent inspector appointed by the Secretary of State.