LOCAL residents, outraged by the failure of East Hampshire planners to press for road improvements to deal with traffic generated by the development of AltonÕs controversial Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital site, have vowed to fight the decision.

They are calling for the immediate severing of Chawton Park Road as a through-road to prevent rat-running, for improvement of the Northfield Lane link with the A31, and for traffic calming measures in neighbouring Beechwood Road.

In the long term they advocate the implementation of a western bypass to take traffic away from the already congested area of Chawton Park Road, Whitedown Lane and Butts Bridge.

An action group has been formed which has already stated its case in the full glare of Meridian television cameras, and a petition has been raised objecting to the development because of traffic management and drainage problems which residents feel have not been addressed.

Their protest follows last ThursdayÕs special meeting of East Hampshire District CouncilÕs north planning committee to decide on two applications by site owners Westbury Homes Holding Limited.

The first was for the erection of 183 dwellings with associated access roads, car parking, open space and landscaping on the former hospital site. The second was for the construction of a mini-roundabout, two accesses from Chawton Park Road, a cycleway and associated signing and lining.

Anger erupted almost immediately over the perceived lack of democracy surrounding the decision-making process. In the region of 70 people, living in the Chawton Park Road area of the town, had packed into Alton College Forum building for the meeting, anxious to have their say.

Some walked out when they found they did not have the right to voice their concerns, and committee chairman, local representative Patrick Burridge, was forced to adjourn the meeting for Òa cooling-down periodÓ. This was followed by an explanation of the planning process by an officer who told residents that just one person would be allowed to speak on behalf of the protesters, one on behalf of Alton Town Council and one on behalf of the applicant.

In the event the applicant was not represented and nor was the town council which, due to short notice, had been unable to send a spokesman to the meeting. It was noted that half the planning committee - 11 councillors, including local representative, Stewart Glasgow, were also unable to attend.

In her address on behalf of the objectors, Chawton Park Road resident Alison Dickson said that while local people had accepted the principle of residential development on the hospital site this had been on the basis of fully supporting infrastructure.

She pointed out that former county councillor Tony Barron had given a commitment that vital traffic and drainage improvements would be carried out prior to any new development taking place.

ÒWe believed this and accepted it in good faith, but yet again we have been let down. We have suffered for long enough and the only sensible answer is to build the western by-pass which the developers should be asked to pay for,Ó she said.

ObjectorsÕ fears were compounded when head of planning control, Ian Ellis, reported on a recent traffic flow survey which had revealed that traffic levels generated by the new development would be below the capacity of the existing road network.

The survey had found that while the evening flow was higher, the estimated morning peak hour flow, from 8 to 9 am, would be less from the community hospital, new GP surgery and 183 dwellings combined than when Lord Mayor Treloar Hospital was fully functional in the 1980s.

But, according to protesters, it had not taken into account increased traffic generated by other road users, including those accessing Alton Sports Centre, the REHAB Centre, Alton Day Services, the GuidesÕ HQ, bowls club and tennis club, not to mention rat-runners wishing to avoid Butts Bridge in the rush hour.

Mrs Dickson sought to highlight the plight of Òat riskÓ groups active within the Chawton Park Road area. The children attending Cubs, Brownies, Guide and Scout groups, those attending the pupil referral unit and the pre-schools, people accessing the hospital and those taking part in sporting activities.

Following the meeting, the action group has carried out a survey which counted 550 traffic movements along Chawton Park Road during peak evening time (5 to 6 pm) compared to the official computer-generated figure of 290 for the same period of time. ÒThis figure does not include the proposed development or the new GP surgery - the councilÕs figures do,Ó points out Mrs Dickson.

She says action group members are furious that the district councillors primed with making the decision on the Treloar plan did not have the courage to impose a condition about traffic management.

ÒThey seemed more worried about the impact on hedges and on four-legged animals (sheep) but what about the impact on us, the two-legged animals - children and adults?Ó she asks.

Action group members are annoyed that no move has yet been made by the committee to comply with a request to meet and discuss possible solutions to local concerns.

Alison Dickson is adamant: ÒWe now feel we must do anything within our legal powers to stop this development until such time as these issues have