A SURVEY sent out to 2,000 Petersfield residents has angered people campaigning for the retention of open space at The Avenue playing fields.

Local tennis coach Anne Saunders says the playing fields are Òan oasis in the centre of PetersfieldÓ and is protesting against the proposed development of the Early Years Centre.

She believes the land is valuable open space that is used by young people and families at all times of the year for tennis, football, picnics, petanque and other outdoor activities.

She says a survey sent out to householders in the area, asking people how much they use the playing fields, is misleading.

Mrs Saunders is criticising the survey for targeting the wrong people, offering cash prizes as an incentive to respond, and failing to consult the whole community on an important community issue.

Plans for the £600,000 Early Years Centre, which would bring all the townÕs childrenÕs organisations under one roof, were refused by East Hampshire District Council planning officers in 2000.

The Early Years committee was despondent at the decision and decided to lodge an appeal. A hearing will be held in the Festival Hall on March 5 and 6.

In the meantime the groupÕs temporary permission to use a cabin on the site is set to expire. A decision on whether to extend the permission will be taken by the district council soon.

The survey in question is being co-ordinated by the Early Years committeeÕs planning consultants, Kris Mitra Associates, who say the aim of the exercise is to gain peopleÕs opinion of all playing fields in Petersfield.

The letter is titled ÒSurvey of facilities at The Avenue playing fields, PetersfieldÓ and asks people how often they use the land and for what reasons.

People who respond within seven days are entered into a cash prize draw for £100. Those who respond later are entered into a draw for £50.

Anne Saunders believes results from the survey will be used to plead the Early Years committeeÕs case at the appeal hearing in March.

She told The Herald: ÒThe impression I get from looking at the survey is that someone is going to improve the sporting facilities at The Avenue. It seems they just want people to say that they never use the fields.

ÒI think this is misinforming the public. ItÕs pulling the wool over peopleÕs eyes.

She added: ÒEveryone I have spoken to about this survey has said it looks very suspicious. And to offer cash prizes as an incentive to complete and return the form is wrong.

ÒThe survey has been sent out to the wrong people. It seems that no one in Herne Farm or Love Lane has received it and IÕm sure lots of people from those areas use The Avenue playing fields.

ÒIt should have been sent to everyone in Petersfield as The Avenue is used by the whole community. A lot of the people living near The Avenue are elderly.Ó

Planning consultant Kris Mitra said he was conducting the survey to gauge the views of local people.

He said: ÒAt the moment there is no imperial information about playing fields in Petersfield and peopleÕs attitudes towards them.

ÒI had asked East Hampshire District Council to produce some information but it came up with nothing so I decided to do it myself. The surveys were sent out to about 2,000 people.Ó

He added: ÒIn my experience The Avenue playing fields are not the most-used fields. People use the tennis courts, play pentanque and some children use the space outside the pavilion but the rest is not used.Ó

When the application was considered by East Hampshire District Council, objections were received from the Hampshire Playing Fields Association, which claimed the proposal would be Òan unacceptable threatÓ to open space.

Mr Mitra said: ÒThe Playing Fields Association said the new building would take up 13 per cent of the grass fields. This is not true. It would take up less than 9.5 per cent.Ó

Petersfield Town Council recently threw its weight behind the application for the Early Years Centre by supporting its request for an extension at the temporary building and backing the plans for the new centre. The district council has always supported the proposal in principle.

Mrs Saunders says she also values the work that is carried out by the Acorns group and believes the proposal for an Early Years Centre is a worthy one.

She said: ÒWe all understand how much good work is carried out by the Acorns group. The tennis club has even raised money for them at the courts on The Avenue playing fields.

ÒBut I just donÕt think this is the right place for them to build. The Avenue site is an extremely valuable area that is used by many people from our community.

ÒMy big fear is that if this building goes ahead we will gradually see small extensions swallowing up more and more of the land.Ó