THE steering group driving a scheme to improve shopping and community facilities in Ringwood is to recommend district council cabinet members provide £100,000 to progress it further.

Despite opposition from some members of the public at a packed public meeting, the group gave the go-ahead for a mixed scheme on the south-west corner of the Furlong car park.

If cabinet members approve, the money will be used to engage specialist advice needed to progress the scheme.

Group members asked for the money to be released in phases so there would be clear reviews and termination stages to ensure value for money.

Mayor Cllr Brian Terry welcomed the plans, based on option one of four options suggested in a public consultation document.

Option one suggests demolishing the existing public toilets and visitor information centre but retaining the best of the trees beside them and creating a public square.

To the north would be public offices, new loos and visitor information centre and a bus/coach/taxi interchange.

To the east would be 3,000 square metres of shops, a 300-seat community theatre, an extension to the existing Sainsburys store and multi-decked car park for 150 vehicles.

An extra deck over the Stallards Lane long stay car park would provide 300 additional spaces.

In theory, the scheme would be "cost neutral", in that the value of the new shopping development would fund the community and public facilities.

One councillor on the steering group spoke out against it. Cllr Michael Thierry mooted the original, smaller, scheme which involved demolishing the visitor centre and toilets and building public offices with replacements for the loos and visitor centre, but with a community theatre/cinema on the first floor. There would be the loss of just 12 parking spaces, he said.

He disputed the way the figures had been interpreted following the public consultation.

He said the majority of people supported option four, which was for no change. As a councillor it was his duty to represent the majority of the electorate, he said.

"The people of the town in my view have said the viability of the town is not important to them, neither is car parking and they have voted for option four instead of option one."

"Looking at the results of the consultation I do not believe that New Forest District Council has a mandate to proceed with option one."