THE bid to oppose the building of 45 houses on a site at Midhurst Road has cleared its first hurdle.

Members of Waverley Borough Council's southern area development control sub-committee voted against the officers' recommendation to grant approval, much to the relief of the packed public gallery.

Earlier in the day, members had made a site visit and concluded that the scale of the development was out of keeping and the extra traffic could have serious implications for local roads.

The revised application from PNH (properties) Ltd, follows one for 52 homes earlier in the year.

The latest application includes 14 dwellings to be used as affordable housing, nine, four and five-bedroom houses, a three-bedroom detached house, 56 parking spaces and 27 garages.

This would replace the existing four properties on the land at Meadowlands, Wakeners Wood, St Andrew's and Arnos.

On behalf of local residents, vociferously opposing the plans, Mr Quick reiterated concerns over potential traffic generated from the development. He argued that local roads could be turned into rat runs and result in significant traffic congestion.

And the applicant's proposal to fund an extension to the 30 mph speed limit along Midhurst Road past the Scotland Lane junction, did little to allay concerns.

"Although affordable housing is very much needed, this development is a real traffic issue," said Michael Biddiscombe.

"The 40 mph hour limit in Midhurst Road is already largely ignored and even if the 30 mph limit was extended, there is nothing to suggest this would be followed either.

"I think that it is a reasonable assumption that the bulk of traffic from the site would be Haslemere-bound and that the junction with Lower Street and Shepherds Hill would become gridlocked."

In defence of the plans, the developer's agent, Mr Hutton, argued that concerns over the development's potential impact on the area were being blown out of proportion.

"It's important to realise that planning inspectors often disagree with residents when assessing the impact a development can have on character. Residents will often look at plans from an aerial viewpoint, while officers consider how it will look from a public vantage point, and from the Midhurst Road, it will be barely visible. Therefore objections over it being out of character aren't sustainable.

"Residents always see any increase in traffic as detrimental, but the Highways Authority is not expecting an increase of any more than five per cent."

Further assurances that the developer would provide traffic calming as a condition, including a roundabout at the junction at the bottom of Shepherds Hill provoked guffaws from the public gallery and were dismissed by the chairman, Peter Isherwood, as an "idea for the fairies".

"It's important we look at these developments in a wider context," said Mary Foryszewski

"I wonder what effect it will have on our infrastructure. What will happen to us in 10 years' time if we keep building developments of this size?"

Mr Isherwood agreed: "Do we really have the services here in Haslemere for all these extra people?"

James Mackie said that the committee would be "failing in their duties" if it did not oppose the application because of the location, which is where the urban part of the town ends and where the Sussex countryside begins.

"The speed of traffic along that road really worries me," said Jacquie Keen. "We've already had signs and speeds indicators along the road and they don't seem to make any difference. After a while they just blend into the background.

"I would like to see a speed camera along there.

Mrs Keen further criticised the plans for affordable housing which she felt would be "segregated" from the rest of the housing in the scheme.

"If you're going to have affordable housing, it should be integrated and not just shoved-in."

All comments made by councillors were greeted by loud applause from the public gallery.

The committee agreed to oppose the application on the grounds that it is out of character, close to Green Belt land and that local infrastructure would be unable to support it.

The application will now go before Waverley's development control committee on September 28.