St Modwen have today announced they will be withdrawing Meon Vale from the district council’s site allocation plan.

The developers own the 80 acre site on which they were proposing 300 new houses be built. Residents have been very vocal over the past few months, desperate that the woodlands, which take up around 35 acres, are preserved as a cherished local asset.

After opening up a period of consultation, which included meeting with residents and taking them on tours of the proposed building sites, St Modwen reduced the number of proposed houses to 200 at the end of last week. However this morning St Modwen wrote to residents and the Herald to say they were now totally scrapping the plans altogether.

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Meon Vale woodland protest on Saturday. (Gill had specific details on pix). Photo: Mark Williamson M23/12/20/9345. (43546101)

The email came jointly from the St Modwen management team of Guy Gusterson, Dinny Shaw and Jess Holt, who said:

“Our initial proposals for housing described what could technically be achievable on the site. However, we promised to go into this engagement process entirely open-minded in order to balance the views of the community with the local area’s housing needs.

“We have listened and understand the value of the woodland and open space to residents, particularly at a time when the importance of access to such spaces for health and wellbeing has been highlighted by the pandemic. There has been a common voice and it is one that has been heard loud and clear.

“With that in mind, we have decided to withdraw proposals for any new homes to be built on this part of the site (identified in the SAP as Rural.4) due to the importance of this amenity space to the local community.”

The news was greeted with relief by residents and local councillors.

Save Meon Vale Woodland campaign organiser Alisha Nunley told the Herald: “I am delighted that St Modwen have listened to local residents. We have been very clear on how passionately we feel about saving these woods. We look forward to working with St Modwen to safeguard the woodlands so future generations can enjoy this fantastic green space.”

Cllr Manuela Perteghella for Welford-on-Avon (LibDem), said: "As the district councillor for Meon Vale, I'm pleased that St Modwen have listened to the loud and clear voice of the Meon Vale community and decided to do the right thing. I have asked the district council planning policy team to apply a safeguard policy to the whole of the woodland site in the site allocation plan, so that it can be protected as a green space in perpetuity, and as part of the current and future core strategy."

Resident and Conservative district councillor Edward Fitter added: “Today’s news is a win for our health, environment, wildlife, and biodiversity. I am delighted that St Modwen will not be pursuing plans to build 300 homes on the site known as RURAL 4 and my demand for the woodland to become a ‘green lung’ has been accepted and my voice representing Quinton and Meon Vale has been heard.”