A proposal to demolish 46 Lymington Bottom in Four Marks and build 60 houses on land behind it has been allowed on appeal.

The decision came despite 431 objections - similar to the numbers received when previous applications for the site were made in 2017 and 2019 - because East Hampshire District Council could not demonstrate that it had sufficient housing land supply to meet its housing target set by the government.

This ruling means housing could be permitted on any site outside a settlement boundary until East Hampshire can come up with a Local Plan to meet the target.

Speaking at the Four Marks Parish Council meeting on April 17, Arthur Barlow - the chair of campaign group Fight4FourMarks - said: “I’m disappointed in the decision after all the work the parish council, Fight4FourMarks and others put in.

“I’m angry that public voices did not even get a mention, dismayed that East Hampshire District Council did not put all its efforts into it, and sad that district councillors did not or could not make a difference.”

Mr Barlow added: “I’m disillusioned that local people are simply ignored, in favour of so called ‘much needed’ house building, which plain and simply is money making for developers. Houses are needed near jobs, not here in Four Marks and rural East Hampshire.

“Something more needs to be done to save this village and East Hampshire from dozens, hundreds of houses which we cannot support with services, no-one locally wants and that will ruin this locality forever.”