ASHDELL Road campaigners have given up their fight for a judicial review into a government inspector's decision to allow the development of 30 homes on a sensitive hillside site overlooking Kings Pond. Instead, since the developer, Squires Bridge Homes, has been bought out by Barratt Homes, campaigners are actively seeking changes to the plans, which it is believed, could result in a "win- win" situation for Alton. The application for 30 dwellings on the 1.15ha site to the rear of 42 and 54 Ashdell Road, Alton, currently comprises a row of four "miner"- style cottages stepped up the hill. Each contains two single bedroom affordable apartments; three pairs of semi-detached "hillfoot" cottages; a block of eight "Manor House" apartments at the centre of the site; and four pairs of semi-detached, four- bedroom houses at the top of the site. The main access will be onto Ashdell Road. Campaigners were incensed when, just days after rejection of a fourth application on the site by East Hampshire planners, the third application was upheld at appeal. East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) was fiercely criticised by local residents for its "weak response" to the third proposal, which did not take into account key points of objection - including the bulk and height - particularly of development at the top of the site which will breach the Alton skyline. And they remain determined to take local planners to task over their handling of the application. In the meantime, according to spokesman Andrew Joy, having failed to gain EHDC's support in seeking a judicial review into the appeal decision, that course of action has been dropped. "We could have gone it alone but it was considered too large a risk. "It would have been a very subjective assessment by a judge and we were advised that it would be very difficult for him to reverse the appeal decision. "On top of that, we could not afford to take on the cost, which may have been in excess of £30,000," said Mr Joy. Furthermore, he had discovered that there was scope for EHDC to revoke or modify any permission to develop under Section 97 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 if conduct of the planning process was in reasonable doubt. But at present, campaigners appear to have struck up a constructive dialogue with Barratts and do not want to rock the boat. Encouraged by discussions over changes, which could improve the general appearance of the development and possibly bring it down below the skyline, Mr Joy believes that if Barratts can effect the necessary changes, they would make a world of difference to the Ashdell Road site. There are still plans, however, to challenge the conduct of the planning department over the handling of the Ashdell Road site. Mr Joy does not want it to be a hatchet job, but he does want a review to re-establish credibility and respect for the planning process and to restore confidence in the democratic process as a whole.