A POLICY to give a "shot in the arm" to the deprived community of Calshot has been backed by the New Forest District Council.

Councillors recommended that the scheme, which will encourage more house-building in the most easterly corner of the district, be included in the local plan now under review.

Councillor Brian Dash from Hythe said: "At the moment Calshot has nothing. Not even pavements.

"There must be shops and leisure facilities. A development which generates these facilities is much needed by those already living there.

Cllr Maureen Holding said a mix of different types of housing - large and small - was essential to encourage small businesses like village shops and post offices to return.

Blackfield and Langley councillor Barbara Maynard said more balance would be given to the Calshot area if developers were obliged to provide 35 per cent social housing as part of each scheme.

A suggestion that builders must provide 50 per cent so-called "affordable" homes per rural housing scheme was not supported by Cabinet. Cllr Tom Russell from Lymington said:

"House prices are out of the reach of many, but insisting on 50 per cent would damage our efforts to get more affordable housing. It would inhibit developers.

"The opportunity to pick-up an area like Calshot, which needs a shot in the arm very badly, must not be missed.

"It's a long process but we'll remember it started here."

The new policy to encourage the regeneration of Calshot with allocations of land for housing was recommended for inclusion in the forthcoming local plan.