New Milton Advertiser 22nd Jan 2021

Friday 22nd January 2021 · 9

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Roundabout rejected for danger crossroads as safety plan agreed

Man cleared of rape after trial A NEW Milton man has been found not guilty by a jury of raping a woman. After a trial at Southamp- ton Crown Court, Thomas Okopskyj (24), of Buck- ingham Walk, was cleared of committing the offence against a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons. The case was overseen by Judge Christopher Parker QC. Village county’s most expensive BROCKENHURST topped the list of most expensive places to live in Hampshire with the average house price over the last year hitting £786,341. According to online estate agents Zoopla, there has been a rush to escape cities for rural areas thanks to the pandemic leading to a 6.42% rise in prices in the county since January 2020. Lymington came fifth in Hampshire with an average of £557,282 while Lyndhurst was seventh with £544,849. Tenth was Ringwood with £448,949. Arrest made over Forest burglaries A MAN was arrested in connection with a string of burglaries across the New Forest over a period of two months. Officers detained a 27-year-old man from Dibden Purlieu on suspicion of two counts of theft from a motor vehicle, burglary with intent to steal, and non-dwelling burglary with intent to steal. The suspect was later re- leased under investigation. The break-ins took place between 10th November 2020 and 13th January this year at addresses in Solent Avenue, Lymington; Malwood Road, Hythe; and Buchan Court, Dibden Purlieu.

Permission granted to realign junction to protect cyclists

T-junction by HCC is designed to improve the safety of the road by forcing traffic to slow down and give way. NPA case officer Natalie Wal- ter told the planning commit- tee meeting: “There is a strong and urgent need for the pro- posed development due to the personal injury records for the junction and a decline in the ef- fectiveness of previously imple- mented measures. “Alternative solutions have been reviewed and assessed and it has been concluded that the proposed scheme would address the need whilst having the lowest ecological and land- scape impact in this sensitive location.” The application received 24 letters of support and has the backing of Beaulieu Parish Council. Four letters of objection were Free ports can cover up to 45km and are points of entry meant to attract businesses by streamlining the import process and reducing the tax paid on goods brought in. The govern- ment wants to establish a num- ber of free ports in England and has invited areas to submit bids for the special status. The local application is be- ing led by the Solent Local En- terprise Partnership (LEP). It would make Southampton a

nightmare as cyclist. “And I think the volume of support from the cycling com- munity shows they hold that view. Lets get it built.” George Bisson added: “It’s not the road that is dangerous, it is the drivers. “Having said that, if they can’t obey the very clear exist- ing signs then, obviously, we do need to do something else. “I think it is the best we can have at the moment.” Sue Bennison said it was “a great pity” that part of the For- est would be lost to tarmac. But she added: “I think this is the only solution that will work and I hope this will stop future accidents.” The scheme involves HCC agreeing with the verderers a land swap elsewhere to ensure the New Forest does not lose any grazing.

BY CAROLYN GRIFFITH

A £450,000 scheme to make a dangerous crossroads safer has been unanimously approved by the national park authority af- ter calls for a roundabout were rejected. The application from Hamp- shire County Council was to stagger a section of highway at Ipley crossroads near Beau- lieu. The area has been highlight- ed as an accident hotspot, with two fatalities and 11 serious-in- jury accidents reported be- tween January 2011 and August 2019. The installation of a new DISTRICT councillors have backed the idea of parts of the Waterside joining a free port area – where tax and import regulations are eased – despite fears it could spark another fight to develop Dibden Bay. Cllr Derek Tipp raised con- cerns with colleagues on New Forest District Council’s envi- ronment overview committee as members discussed whether a bid should be submitted to the government with the aim of boosting the local economy post-Brexit. Cllr Tipp warned: “This could run back the huge fight to pre- serve Dibden Bay from devel- opment as a port. We have got to be careful what we wish for,” noting that some of the terms in a council report on free ports were “vague”. However, he voted in support after assurances it could bring economic benefits and that the district had enough “pockets of deprivation” to qualify for con- sideration.

Ipley crossroads is a renowned accident blackspot (Photo: Google)

also received, including Den- ny Lodge Parish Council which said it preferred a roundabout.

Supporting plans, NPA member Richard Taylor said: “As a regular cyclist, I the

have to say a staggered junction is by far the best solution – a roundabout is a

Dibden Bay fears over free port status bid Hunt for man over spate of garage break-ins

site for relaxed import rules and parts of the Waterside, including Marchwood port and Fawley’s Exxon terminal, among the pre- ferred reduced tax sites. NFDC chief planning officer Claire Upton-Brown said back- ing a free port bid would not re- sult in taking “any form of deci- sion” in relation to Dibden Bay. She said the tax sites in free ports could range across 600 hectares and were designed to encourage innovation and

growth close to deprived areas in order to “level” up inequali- ties. While councils will get busi- ness rates from the incoming firms, they have to show govern- ment how they would reinvest in infrastructure and generate growth. They must also demon- strate how they would entice firms to their free port, such as by lifting “appropriate” planning “freedoms”. As a requirement they have to be close to areas of deprivation, Mrs Upton-Brown confirmed, and that the New Forest had “pockets” that qualified. Cllr Barry Dunning said it was “wonderful”, while Cllr Geoffrey Blunden urged: “Please get on with it.” Cllr MalcolmWade said he was supportive of anything that cre- ated jobs, but noted free ports had been tried before in the UK and were dropped in 2008 be- cause of a lack of success. The final decision on whether NFDC collaborates with the plan will be made by the ruling cabinet.

POLICE released a CCTV pic- ture of a man they want to track down after garages were broken into in Milford. Nothing was reported to have been taken in the raids on the outbuildings on the night of Thursday 7th January, near Greenways, which had locks cut off. People are being urged to come forward if they recognise the man shown in the image or saw any suspicious activity around the time of the break- ins. A spokesperson for the Hampshire force said: “A dark blue or black Ford Fiesta was seen in the area at the time with three men inside, similar to that seen on the CCTV. “Were you in the area at the time? Did you see what hap- pened? Perhaps you have fur- ther CCTV or dashcam footage near to the scene?”

Airport in ‘low tax’ zone proposal A FULL business case for making part of the BCP Coun- cil area a free port will be put together after the move was backed by its ruling cabinet. Councillors agreed to sup- port a bid for a new lower-tax “outer boundary” zone, in- cluding both Bournemouth Airport at Hurn and the Port of Poole, writes Josh Wright of the Local Democracy Report- ing Service .

Contact 101, quoting crime reference number 44210008033, or call the Crimestoppers num- ber anonymously on 0800 555 111. Cllr Phil Broadhead, cabi- net member for the economy, told the meeting that desig- nation would “open up a lot of opportunities” for the area. The council revealed its intention to submit a bid to form a free port last month, when a £50,000 budget for its creation was included in a fi- nancial update. Hello neighbour We’re proud to support your local community Sway’s Co-op is now open Station Road, Sway SO41 6BA Open 6am – 10pm, daily