CIVIC chiefs have approved the first phase of a major housing scheme near Green Belt land in Ringwood.

The multi-million-pound project will see more than 170 homes built on the edge of the town and has been described as the biggest single development in the town’s history.

An outline application to develop the land was approved by New Forest District Council three years ago.

Now the authority has approved a more detailed proposal to build 62 homes - the first part of the scheme - in the north eastern corner of the site.

The homes will be built on land bordered by Crow Lane, Crow Arch Lane, Hightown Gardens and Hightown Industrial Estate.

Objectors had urged the council’s planning and development control committee to reject the proposal, saying it would generate too much traffic and could also result in flooding problems.

Representatives from Ringwood Town Council raised a long list of objections, including what they described as the cramped nature of the development.

And members of a group called A Better Ringwood accused the applicant, Linden Homes South, of failing to listen to concerns about traffic and drainage.

In an objection written by resident Martin Copp, he said: "The potential for traffic accidents on Hightown Hill will be considerably increased to a dangerous extent by increased traffic from the A31 cutting across Hightown Common.

"That access should be closed. I have witnessed many near misses on Hightown Hill and the prospect of increased traffic will exacerbate the situation. It is almost impossible for large goods vehicles to pass on the hill which is also fronted by residential properties.

"Permission should be denied until such closure occurs."

The proposed development also came under fire from some of the committee members.

Cllr Michael Thierry, the former mayor of Ringwood, said: “This is a very incomplete planning application.

Why have the developers not come forward and dealt with the issues that have been raised?”

But council officers said all the issues were addressed by conditions attached to the planning consent.