CONTROVERSIAL plans to replace almost 120 beach huts at Milford on Sea have been given the go-ahead.

Civic chiefs have approved a £1.3 million project to transform a long strip of land that was battered by 80mphs winds almost two years ago.

Most of the 119 concrete huts that stood on the site at Hurst Road, Milford on Sea, were damaged or destroyed in the storm.

Now New Forest District Council has given itself planning permission to build new huts later this year – despite 35 objections to various aspects of the scheme.

Most of the controversy centres on the position of the proposed new structures, which will be set back into the upper promenade.

The top of the huts will form part of the public walkway, sparking fears the privacy of people sunbathing outside their huts will be affected.

Colin Holdsworth, representing the Beach Huts Owners’ Association, said concerns had been expressed about the so-called “inhabited roofs”.

But he added: “Most of our members have come to terms with the decisions madeThere isn’t unanimous support for all the individual features but there is a widespread level of support. Most of us will have huts again for the summer of 2016.”

Bob Bishop, chairman of Milford Parish Council, added: “The district council has come up with a very sensible and imaginative scheme. It’s almost a case study in how to manage a controversial project.”

Cllr Pat Wyeth, a former chairman of the committee, was one of several members who voiced support for the application.

She said: “You’re never going to get a situation in which everyone is happy with every single detail, but council officers have worked hard to produce a scheme that is acceptable to the majority.

Cllr Fran Carpenter added: “The benefits outweigh the negative – and we do want them built.”

As reported in the Daily Echo, the ferocious weather struck on the night of February 14, 2014 and was dubbed the Valentine’s Day Storm.

Couples enjoying a romantic dinner at The Marine cafe and restaurant in Milford had to be evacuated as rocks crashed through the windows and the ground floor began flooding.

The area was left looking like a war zone, with wrecked cars and other debris littering the beach.