AN appeal has been lodged after civic chiefs failed to decide a planning application.

AJ Developments submitted an outline proposal to demolish a property at Milford Road in Pennington and replace it with a terrace of four houses.

Now the company is appealing against New Forest District Council's non-determination of the application.

Bosses are hoping a government-appointed planning inspector will approve the proposed development.

Two previous applications to build nine and 14 flats on the site were rejected by government-appointed planning inspector Benjamin Webb.

The latest application said: "The aim of the proposal is to address the concerns of the inspector in respect of the two dismissed appeals.

"Full residential use is proposed, which is wholly appropriate for this largely residential area."

The council's initial assessment of the application said the proposal was smaller than the previous schemes but several issues issues still applied, including the bulk and mass of the new building.

Lymington and Pennington Town Council lodged an objection.

It said: "We do not agree with the loss of a larger property and associated garden. The proposal does not match the street scene."