PLANS for the last big housing development on the western side of Southampton Water have been welcomed.

Developers have been battling for nearly ten years to come up with a suitable scheme for the former Dreamland electric blanket factory site at Hythe.

But outline planning permission was granted last year and a detailed scheme for 175 new homes, including an oval-shaped luxury apart-ment block right on the water's edge has been lodged with New Forest District Council this week.

And long-serving New Forest District and Hythe and Dibden Parish councillor Maureen Robinson said: "I am sure local councillors and local residents will be pleased to see this site developed at last.

"The site has been a but of an eye-sore since the Dreamland factory was demolished and there have been problems with the drainage. Hopefully, that will also be sorted out when the development takes place."

The former New Forest housing chairman also welcomed the inclusion of public access to a waterfront walkway and of a public slipway in the scheme. The plans include the conversion of the former Murray's Hotel into six flats, blocks allowing for small developments of offices, shops and restaurants and a pedestrian walk-way along the seafront.

With much of the waterfront at Marchwood in use by the Army and industry, Dibden Bay at the centre of proposals for a container terminal and the marina to the north of Hythe and a nature reserve and Fawley Refinery complex to the South, the Dreamland site is the last major waterfront building plot in the area.

Planning consultant Geoff Armstrong of the Development Planning Partnership pointed out that the proposals had been drawn up after lengthy discussions with New Forest District Council.

On the tree planting, he explained: "A lot of trees are planned for the site and the idea is to have a tree-lined boulevard for the main pedestrian and vehicular route through the site.''

He added that he hoped the scheme would be discussed at New Forest Council's development control committee meeting in October and that building would begin early in the new year if permission was granted.

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