Visitors to East Hampshire’s biggest tourist attraction could be going round in circles as plans for a new roundabout on the A325 have been lodged.

The proposal for a new junction is the latest part of an ambitious plan to revamp Birdworld and Forest Lodge Garden Centre.

Bosses at Birdworld & Haskins Garden Centre Ltd want to create a roundabout a few hundred yards south of the current entrance to Forest Lodge.

The reworked junction will provide joint access to both attractions and will lead to a smaller, secondary roundabout with a new garden centre and Birdworld entrance to the left and right, respectively.

The highway proposals are linked to the biggest expansion in Birdworld’s history with a new entrance building, play barn, play area and breeding facility all planned in a multi-million pound scheme.

The earlier application also includes the demolition and replacement of the current garden centre with an improved and more energy efficient building.

The plans have been generally welcomed although the landscape planning team at Hampshire County Council has raised a holding objection.

They have called for mitigating conditions as they are concerned about the introduction of a roundabout and possible streetlighting on a road with a “very rural character”.

They add: “It introduces an urban-suburban feature and will have an adverse effect on the landscape, character and setting of the national park.”

Hampshire Highways have raised no objections to the scheme while a reduction in speed on the section from 50mph to 40mph or lower seems likely.

However, a disgruntled local may have jumped the speed gun as a ‘rogue’ 30mph disk recently appeared on the northbound section a few yards north of the existing entrance to Birdworld.

For more details about the scheme type 01795 into the search browser at https://planningpublicaccess.southdowns.gov.uk