A SCHOOL has questioned the impact of 400 new homes in Ringwood will have on the town as planners receive hundreds of objections.

Ringwood Town Council will hold an extraordinary meeting to discuss an application which could see up to 400 dwellings built.

Taylor Wimpey has submitted its outline plans for a major scheme on land on the edge of Ringwood.

The firm wants to build up to 400 new homes and three hectares of employment land on fields north of Hightown Road, near the A31.

And Ringwood Town Council will meet virtually next week to discuss the application.

The meeting will be held via Zoom and people are urged to submit questions to town.council@ringwood.gov.uk in advance.

However, hundreds of objections to the plans have been submitted, and Ringwood Junior School questioned whether the plans were viable.

A statement from headteacher Sally-Ann Evans and chair of governors Paul Thursfield said: “The proposal to build up to 400 homes would equate to possibly 400 more families in Ringwood.

“The town only has two infant school and two junior school provisions within the locality, of which, Ringwood Junior School is one.

“The school is currently full with 96 pupils in each year group and has long waiting lists, and there is not the capacity within our school to accommodate additional pupils on this scale. Our classes have 32 pupils in each and the classroom sizes do not have the capacity to take additional pupils.”

Some residents have already stated their concerns after the application was published on the council’s planning portal earlier this year.

Resident Don Faulkner said: “In Wimpy’s design and access statement they describe Ringwood as ‘a vibrant market town’.

“That is true at the moment, but if this development goes ahead Ringwood will become just another anonymous commuter town at the side of a major road.

“This is a historical well-liked market town, please do not destroy it by granting this planning application.”

Diana Jackman said: “Our schools are already oversubscribed and we only have two GP practices for the whole Ringwood area.

“Sadly, Ringwood is no longer the small market town which we all love.”

To register for the meeting, visit the Ringwood Town Council’s Facebook page.