A NEW 54-bed care home on the site of a former children's home in the New Forest is set to get the green light - despite residents labelling the designs as "very unattractive".

The plans for Glendalyn on Fernhill Lane, New Milton have been recommended for approval to New Forest District Council's planning committee.

Applicants, Redland Care Group, are seeking permission to demolish the existing buildings and build the three-storey 54-bed care home.

Initially the plans set out a 60-bed development, however following discussions with the council's planning the department, the scheme has been scaled down.

New Milton Town Council has voiced strong objections to the scheme, while 23 representations out of 29 submitted to NFDC were also against the development.

The town council's reasons for recommending refusal of the scheme include a lack of on-site parking, issues of highway safety, impact on privacy of other residents and a loss of trees on the site.

These observations are also raised by New Milton Residents' Association.

In response to the plans, Alan Watson, writing on behalf of the residents' association, says: "NMRA believes that the Application as currently designed is too bulky for the site, the placing of the buildings could cause inconvenience and harm to local residents and that it is a shame that the old Edwardian Building of some character could not be saved and incorporated into any new development."

Mr Watson adds the third floor makes the development "very unattractive".

However, the report to the committee by planning officer Jim Bennett recommends approval of the scheme.

The report says: "The proposed development has satisfied concerns raised over design, highways, drainage, residential amenity, trees and ecology, subject to the imposition of conditions.

"In coming to this recommendation, consideration has been given to the rights set out in Article 8 (right to respect for private and family life) and Article 1 of the First Protocol (right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions) of the European Convention on Human Rights.

"Whilst it is recognised that there may be an interference with these rights and rights of other third parties, such interference has to be balanced with the like rights of the applicant to develop the land in the way proposed."

The planning committee meet on Wednesday to make their decision on the proposals.