PLANS for an £82,000 extension to an office block in Lymington have been overwhelmingly rejected by New Forest councillors even though they were told by officers that the look of the building was being improved.

Abode Holdings wanted to extend a commercial property near the southern end of Gosport Street with a new side extension and a pitched roof containing dormer windows.

But members of NFDC's planning development control committee heard that the additional space would produce a need for three additional parking spaces.

With no land available for those spaces, it would then require a cash contribution from the developers of £25,860, an officers' report explained. But the report added that the company considered the extension would not be viable if that contribution was enforced.