CONTROVERSIAL plans for a major new retail and residential development in the heart of Lymington have been approved by New Forest planners.

The district council gave the go-ahead for a pair of three-storey buildings on land behind No.77, High Street, which will front onto School Lane, despite a number of local objections.

Opponents, including Lymington Town Council, claimed that it would be out of character with the sensitive town centre area and that it was too much for the land available.

But the New Forest's development control committee has overcome what it saw as the main problem - a danger to pedestrians from cars based there - by scrapping plans for a public footpath through the site.

The scheme will see the creation of six ground floor office and shop units, plus seven flats and adjacent parking spaces, which developers Young and Partners promised would enhance the area.

Town councillors were less convinced, warning of overdevelopment and parking trouble, concerns shared by neighbouring residents who also feared significant loss of light and privacy.

And, while citing many benefits to the proposal, district planners recommended the application should be refused, because the safety of people walking to and from High Street could not be guaranteed.

But the committee members got around that problem by simply eliminating it, and then were happy to give their blessing.

"There was undoubtedly a potential for serious conflict with pedestrians in the parking area, so the plan will no longer include public footpath access," added planning administrator Jan Debnam.