THERE are concerns farmland will be lost to housing as New Forest District Council hunts for sites of future development.
As reported in the A&T, the council said it has “significant” concerns over government plans to hike housing targets as part of changes to national planning policies. If approved, NFDC will have a target of 1,465 homes a year for the New Forest, compared with the current Local Plan target of 521.
As a result, the council issued a call for sites, asking landowners, communities, developers and site promoters to suggest areas suitable for development.
Building new homes is a government priority (picture: stock image)
Speaking at a recent meeting of the district council, Cllr David Millar asked whether the call for sites could encourage farmers to sell their land.
He said: “Farming is of strategic importance to the UK, providing food security for our nation, reducing food miles, and providing well-managed countryside for our communities to enjoy.
“However, the NFDC’s current call for sites will mean developers encouraging farm owners to offer up their land for speculative development opportunities. How [will] this council balance the need to support our farmers whilst also looking to meet government house-building targets?”
Responding, Cllr Derek Tipp, the council’s cabinet member for planning and economy, said: “The call for sites exercise is an opportunity for people to put forward land for consideration for development which they feel could be used more productively in the future. It is an important part of the work to inform our local plan and review, including decisions about how we deliver sustainable development in the New Forest.
“Any such plan needs to be prepared in the context of national policies, as set out by the government. It is very clear this government is prioritising a significant increase in housebuilding across the country.
“However, it is also clear that some areas of the country are far more capable of delivering significant housing than ours. Your point about the possible loss of farmland is well made and something we will have to balance in the round as we make our Local Plan.”