Welcome to the Medstead and Four Marks Neighbourhood Plan webpage hosted on the websites of Medstead and Four Marks Parish Councils.

Progress on the Revision of the Neighbourhood Plan

October 2025

As a result of the Government withdrawing future funding from the charity Locality, that supports the funding of Neighbourhood planning teams, such as the M&FMNP Steering Group, and the production of the technical reports produced for us , by its consultant’s AECOM, the M&FMNP project could have ground to a shuddering halt.

BUT, due to the generosity of our three District Councillors, funding has been provided for the next two stages of our Review.

Although the Funding will not be extended, Locality have provided draft reports on our Housing Needs Assessment and the Site Opportunities Assessment.

Housing Need Assessment

Steering Group is currently finalising the detailed information to present to you, which needs revision due to the August decision by EHDC Planning Committee to approve outline permission for up to 35 dwellings behind 103 Blackberry Lane.

You will remember that following the new Government’s housing targets, EHDC requires the Parishes of Medstead (480) and Four Marks (688) to build a minimum of 1,168 dwellings by 31^st March 2043. With the 35 dwellings and the other 318 applications not yet built out, this leaves around 815 houses for the Neighbourhood Plan to allocate.

We know from the Housing Needs Assessment (HNA), referred to last month, that the local need is for 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedroom dwellings, with a minimum number with more bedrooms.

This reflects what you told us in your responses to our January Consultation, that the greatest perceived need was for 3 bedroomed houses, followed by 2 bedroomed houses (supported by over three quarters of responders), followed 2 bedroomed Flats and 4 bedroomed houses were advocated by a third.

With regard to housing type, you told us that your preferences were for Semi-Detached Houses and bungalows (more than 66%) followed by Detached Houses (50%); Terraced Houses (33%), with Flats - within a Block the size of a house, Sheltered accommodation, for those that need support; Care Home Places and Maisonettes (around 25%).

The HNA notes the need for dwellings with less bedrooms, including bungalows, to enable our older residents to downsize, again reflecting your views.

The HNA also highlighted the need for ‘Affordable Housing’ in the villages for those with village connections. EHDC requires the larger village developments above 9 dwellings to support this by building 40% of the housing to be ‘Affordable’. However, the Steering Group has noticed that some Developers are claiming that they have been unable to find a partner to manage their rented Affordable housing, wishing instead to make a financial contribution to EHDC, and thus enabling it to be built elsewhere in the District.

This lack of suitable housing for younger people will lead to the death of village life and turn them into dormitories with no community interaction.

To increase the number affordable homes for rent, the Steering Group is issuing a second call for sites seeking land for Rural Exception Sites – development sites exclusively for small developments of houses, in perpetuity at social rent, to enable those with a strong connection or key workers to live in our villages.

Site Availability Assessment

The M&FMNP Steering Group is reviewing the first draft Site Availability Assessment. In the covering letter, the Lead Consultant noted that that this report covered assessments of the largest number of sites offered they had seen for about 10 years!

The site assessment reviews a total of 71 potential development sites within the Parishes of Medstead and Four Marks, of which only one site was identified as completely suitable for development without further mitigating supporting works.

Another 42 were identified as being potentially suitable that therefore could be considered for allocation in the neighbourhood plan, subject to the necessary infrastructure being confirmed to support new development on them.

The remaining 28 sites were identified as not being suitable and will be excluded from the next stage of the process.

The Steering Group, advised by our Consultant from Places for People, will assess each site, matching the site by its sustainability, the work involve to overcome the perceived impediments to development, with the total housing the Parishes need to build to satisfy the demands of Government by 31^st March 2043.

It is the intention to offer villagers options on the proposed sites to enable them to give their views on what, in their opinions, they consider the better sites in the Parishes. To fulfil the Government/ EHDC requirements on housing numbers provided in each parish, (Medstead, 480, and Four Marks, 688).

To produce this number, housing sites will be required on both sides of the railway line. The only saving grace is that any dwelling completed or given approval after 1^st April 2024 reduces the 1,166 that the Parishes are expected to deliver.

Infrastructure

The Steering Group has met with both Parish Councils and our two village campaigning groups, F4FM and SMASH, to consider what infrastructure improvements need to be included in the new Plan.

The group noted the changes in the 2021 Census statistics, particularly in demography, and the need to accommodate an aging population.

Some suggestions made at the meeting were some more practical than others, and those on which the new Plan could consider are put forward:

• Discuss with HCC Highways road improvements:
• A31 -Consider building roundabouts to slow traffic and improve access from both Lymington Bottom Lymington Bottom Road and Telegraph Lane

o Local Roads - consider easing the pinch points at railway crossings and the width of roads, reducing capacity, consider the lack of footways on most roads restricting pedestrian use, ; and the need to link ‘South Medstead’ to Medstead village

• The possibility of a public bus service in village to remove reliance on cars.
• New footpath and cycle provision by considering provision local linkages through new developments and find out residents needs and their reasons for travel
• More local car parking on A31.
• The new Plan must consider the Medical & Health of our population, particularly as it is aging with needs for parking at local healthcare facilities, especially for the for Disabled and infirm. The Steering Group needs to review the need for extended range of healthcare facilities offered in the villages, due to need, including an NHS dental Practice.
• With regards to Education, the Steering Group notes need, if we attract younger residents, for additional Nursery and Preschool places. It also needs to consider the provision of ‘Walker Friendly’ routes to school in Medstead to combat car dependency issues for school access.
• For Recreation, the Steering Group is aware of the need for local ‘open space’ in ‘South Medstead’, and the local shortage of youth football pitches.
• Similarly, it notes the need for Commercial/ Local Shops, needed in the future to maintain village life.
• We need to maintain a good Environment for our residents by the provision of local Green Space and the protection of wildlife areas, all accessible by aging population yet attractive for the younger generations.
• With regards to employment, we need new housing with suitable space and infrastructure to support those ‘working from home ‘, with rentable modular office spaces and small industrial units for others.
• We need to improve our Social Facilities to cover the needs of all, such as a Man Shed , new or enhanced Community Hubs with meeting rooms to support the volunteer groups in our community; and if commercially viable, perhaps a Pub,

The Steering Group notes that additional land will need to be brought forward to cover these needs, and as part of its second “Call for Sites” it is seeking land for employment, sites for sport and recreation and community building facilities.

We are hoping to hold a consultation in November, the same presentation in each Village Hall – look out for the dates.