TOWN councillors have strongly objected to plans for 134 new homes on the site of the old Farnham hospital.

They have agreed that several objections be made to colleagues on Waverley council, who will decide the planning application from the Guildford and Waverley Primary Care Trust, which manages the new hospital on land adjacent to the proposed homes.

The homes, a combination of one to three-bedroom flats and two to four-bedroom houses, together with 223 parking spaces and a children's nursery, were part of the private finance initiative that will fund the new Farnham hospital, opened last year.

Members of the town council's plans panel had already agreed to object "on the grounds of density and height of the proposed development and the effect upon the already inadequate infrastructure of the town".

The panel was also "extremely concerned" about increased traffic and said all the affordable housing, which would amount to 40 per cent of the total homes, should not be concentrated on the southern part of the site.

Last week, the council's environmental services committee agreed several further objections, tabled by the committee's vice chairman, Victor Scrivens.

The committee registered its concern about the "lack of a comprehensive analysis" of the effects of traffic on the eastern side of Farnham, with "no account" taken of the East Street redevelopment, the Hawthorns Business Development and the prospect of housing at Bourne Mill.

They also claim no account has been taken of the number of accidents in the area.

The council also questioned an assertion in the planning application that there has been no increase in local traffic since a study undertaken in 1999.

It also objected to the apparent loss of a bus layby in Hale Road used by six buses an hour and said that consideration should be given to providing extra bus services.

Councillors also agreed developers should consider a park-and-ride scheme to get residents of the new homes into the town centre and that developers should assess the effect of the proposed development on local facilities, including schools.

The council did, however, welcome plans for a footpath link between the hospital site and the Roman Way housing development.

The council has welcomed the planned restoration of the former auxiliary buildings, Portland House and Portland Terrace, but believes the proposed building called Portland Crescent to be "completely out of keeping".

It regrets the proposed loss of another auxiliary building, No 44 Hale Road - which, councillors feel is a "building of character" - to make way for a building "out of keeping" with the area.

Meanwhile, nearby residents are also objecting to the new homes.

Mandy and Justin Harris, of Coverts Close, say more than 300 cars pass through the area already and that the narrow roads are not designed for such volumes of traffic.

They also say that hospital visitors often park in adjacent roads when the car park is full.

"It's dangerous and frustrating," said Mr Harris. "We're worried about our children, as since the hospital was built, there isn't a place for them to play.

"We don't have an issue with the hospital, as we understand that it is a necessary part of the community," said Mr Harris. "We've adapted to the traffic problems so far, but the proposals to build more houses is too much. We've had enough."