MEDSTEAD & FOUR MARKS NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN 2015 – 2028

MEDSTEAD & FOUR MARKS
NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN
2015 – 2028
Green Routes Study
April 2015
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Green Routes Study
Introduction
As part of the Medstead & Four Marks Neighbourhood Plan a proposal was made
for a Green Infrastructure network within Medstead & Four Marks which resulted in
the development of Policy 9.
Policy 9: Medstead & Four Marks Green Infrastructure Network
The Neighbourhood Plan proposes the establishment of the Medstead & Four Marks
Green Infrastructure Network around and within Four Marks/South Medstead and
Medstead Village.
The Network comprises a variety of green infrastructure assets, including Local
Green Spaces and Open Spaces, as identified in Policy 6, playing fields, landscaped
noise attenuation buffers, assets of biodiversity value and children’s play areas. It
also includes heritage routes, cycleways, footpaths and bridleways and links with
the Medstead Village Wild Flower Walk of Policy 8.
Development proposals on land that lie within the broad location of the Network will
be required to align their public open space and other amenity requirements with its
objectives, so that they may contribute to its successful formation and maintenance .
This policy proposes the creation of the Medstead & Four Marks Green Infrastructure
Network in and around the villages as a network of existing and new assets,
including the existing network of footpaths, heritage routes, bridleways, cycleways,
public open spaces and other outdoor recreational and leisure assets within which
to contain site allocations and improve connectivity. The network will be delivered
and maintained over the plan period and beyond. As such it accords with the NPPF
(Para 114) and Policy CP20, CP21 and CP28 of the JCS on green infrastructure.
The scale of development in recent years around the settlements of Four Marks and
South Medstead has meant that the need for a green infrastructure network has
become more important to the community. The existing public network will be the
basis of the Green Infrastructure network and further routes will be established to
improve the movement between the villages, the Wild Flower Walk in Medstead, the
Railway Station Hub between South Medstead and Four Marks and the surrounding
landscape. It will importantly join up most of the Local Green Spaces in the MFMNP
area to maximise the enjoyment and recreational use of these.
The aim is to significantly improve ecological connectivity around and through the
villages and beyond through a variety of measures. Therefore the policy requires all
development proposals in the vicinity of the Network to demonstrate how they will
contribute to its successful formation and maintenance. Importantly, the policy also
resists the loss of Network features unless the development proposals can show that
the Network can be reconnected effectively.
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Proposed Green Infrastructure Network
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The following routes have been identified by the MFMNP working groups:
The Medstead route
Eastern Route
• Existing - there is a track known as Stoney Lane that runs north from Station
Approach opposite the level crossing gates all the way to Five Ash Road. A
public footpath continues north opposite the end of Stoney Lane and
continues to the bend in Roe Downs Road.
• Proposal – to form a new footpath on the inside of the hedge line
continuing north until it reaches the Bowls Club. There are ongoing discussions
about the pavement that runs from the football field to the entrance to the
tennis club to see if it could be extended to the southern boundary of the
bowls club. This would then give a safe pedestrian walk from the Four Marks
centre to the Medstead village centre.
Western Route
•
Existing – the pavement ends at Station Approach when travelling north,
however Hampshire Highways are believed to be about to start on the
construction of a footpath running from the A31 to Five Ash crossroads on the
western side of Lymington Bottom Road. There are public footpaths that run
from just north of Five Ash crossroads to Greenstile although a little muddy at
times.
•
Proposal – continue the style of Hampshire Highways new footpath the few
yards north of Five Ash crossroads until it meets the entrance to The Knapp.
Cut back vegetation to give a slightly wider access and upgrade the surface
of the existing footpaths all the way to Greenstile. This would then give a safe
pedestrian walk from the Four Marks centre to the Medstead village centre
avoiding the very dangerous Southtown Road. A route slightly shorter than
keeping to the road.
The Four Marks route

Existing - Clockwise- From the Railway Station, the route heads south, crossing
the A31 at Oak Green Parade. It turns east and follows the road to a footpath
on the right, towards Badger Close. It then crosses Blackberry Lane and
continues on the footpath to Alton Lane.
St Swithun’s Way, Four Marks
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
Crossing the road at the Garden Centre and then turning right onto St
Swithun’s Way the route arrives at Kitwood Lane close to its junction with
Kitwood Road. Turning NW the path then traverses a large field and into the
centre of Old Down Wood where two options are available:
i.
At the junction the route turns east back through open fields, passing
the proposed Wildflower Meadow and then follows northwest at
Gradwell Lane to the junction with The Pilgrims Way at Brislands Lane.
or
ii.
Continuing straight through Old Down Wood and turning east onto
Brislands Lane (Pilgrims Way)the route then meets with the junction with
Gradwell Lane.
Pilgrims Way, Four Marks
Following the public by-way, opposite the end of Gradwell Lane, the route
heads toward Barn Lane. Upon reaching the open fields it turns east, joining
the recreation ground and returns to the village centre, south via Uplands
Lane and northeast on the Pilgrims Way, then via Yarnhams Close and using
the footpath leading to the shopping parade.

Proposal - There is an aspiration to create a footpath from the recreation
ground to Lymington bottom opposite the junction with Lymington Rise. From
here the route could return to the Oak Green Parade via the footpath from
Read’s Fields or could turn north on Lymington Bottom, meeting with the
Medstead route at the junction with the A31.

Existing anti-clockwise - The route travels southeast along Barn Lane, taking
the left fork at the wooded area, then either;
i.
Turning east along Brislands Lane where it joins the Pilgrims Way.
or
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ii.
Continue along Gradwell lane to Five Ways, south on Kitwood Road
then northwest at the top of the road picking up St Swithun’s Way to
Old Down Wood at the junction in the centre of the Wood it turns east,
following the path through open fields towards Gradwell Lane (passing
the proposed Wildflower Meadow and turns northwest at Gradwell
Lane meeting with the Pilgrims Way at Brislands Lane.
Following Brislands Lane, past the recreation ground and crossing the junction
to Blackberry Lane (remaining on Pilgrims Way). The route then turns north at
Yarnhams Close, towards Read’s Fields and then northeast along the
footpath toward the back of the shopping parade. It then crosses the main
road and continues along Station Approach, toward the Railway Station.
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