Plans for up to 150 new homes in Liphook have taken their first formal step forward — but any development will first be subject to strict environmental scrutiny due to the site’s sensitivity.

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) scoping request has been submitted to East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) for land at Penally Farm, Hewshott Lane.

An EIA is a formal process used to assess how a major development could affect the environment — including wildlife, habitats, water, noise, traffic and the wider landscape. It does not approve or refuse a scheme, but instead sets out what detailed studies must be carried out before a planning application can be considered.

In this case, the process is particularly significant because the site sits close to protected heathland and internationally important wildlife sites, meaning environmental impacts will be closely scrutinised from the outset.

At this stage, the submission is not a planning application, but an early request to agree the scope of that environmental assessment. The emerging proposal is for an outline scheme of up to 150 homes, alongside a football pitch, public open space and supporting infrastructure.

Previous plans for the site had already confirmed that a full Environmental Assessment would be required, reflecting the environmental sensitivity of the location. Early details suggest a mix of housing types, with buildings limited to two storeys for houses and up to two-and-a-half storeys for apartments.

Environmental constraints are shaping the layout. Part of the site falls within a 400-metre buffer linked to protected heathland, meaning no homes are proposed in that area, with development instead focused on the southern section of the site.

Plans also include landscaping, biodiversity improvements and a new access from Hewshott Lane. Natural England has said a “robust” Environmental Statement will be needed, given the proximity to internationally protected sites including the Wealden Heaths Special Protection Area and Woolmer Forest.

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If the scheme progresses, a full planning application is expected in mid-2026, with construction potentially starting in late 2027.