A SHORT presentation by representatives of Lowsley Farm developers Easterton turned into a heated discussion with residents raising concerns about plans to widen roads in Liphook’s historic square with the developers proposing a hasty U-turn.

Andrew Williams, from Boyer Planning, was bombarded by accusations the plans would devastate The Square and rip the heart out of village centre made by a large crowd of angry villagers who attended the meeting at Bramshott and Liphook’s Parish Council offices in Midhurst Road, on Monday night.

Long-time resident and Liphook In Bloom stalwart Russ Ellis voiced concerns – shared by many others – about Easterton proposing to widen the roads in The Square where the Headley Road and Longmoor Road join the roundabout, and replacing flower beds with run offs for HGV lorries.

Mr Williams called it a “misunderstanding” and he and his colleagues were forced to reassure everyone that initial plans for improvements to The Square have not been pursued, and were not required for the Lowsley Farm scheme.

He did suggest there could be a possible addition of a pedestrian crossing on each arm of the roads in question, as well as a change in kerb lines.

He confirmed Easterton had been invited by East Hampshire District Council to re-submit plans for a further 175 houses on the site off Longmoor Road, in addition to the 155 already granted permission in December 2012, making it a total of 330 dwellings.

Previous issues including poor air quality, flooding and sewage problems had been addressed and resubmitted to the district council and developers’ contributions in excess of £680,000 would go into their pot to be used on improvements required by the parish.

Traffic congestion through the centre of Liphook was another topic of discussion between residents and representatives of Boyer Planning, who stressed they had carried out an extensive traffic survey, including rush-hour, which showed no severe increase in traffic would occur as a result of the new homes at Lowsley Farm.

Mr Ellis challenged the survey by asking for details on traffic movement in The Avenue, a rat-run between Longmoor and Headley Roads, which is congested every day of the year.

This forced an admission by Boyer that The Avenue had been omitted, putting the blame for current and future traffic congestion in the centre of the village firmly on Bohunt School and their plans for a sixth-form college, which would call for a traffic plan.

A cry for a much-needed relief road between Longmoor Road and Headley Road on the edge of the Lowsley Farm site and the Pope family’s land on Headley Road fell on deaf ears, much to the dismay of residents.

The campaign to get a relief road approved has been led by Mr Ellis, who also put the proposal to MP Damian Hinds, stating it could be funded by developers’ contributions, to ease the pressure from the centre of Liphook.

District councillor Bill Mouland, who also attended the meeting, explained a relief road across Lowsley Farm and the Pope sites in Headley Road had been rejected by Hampshire County Council since the two landowners do not speak to each other and warned it would cost more than £1million.

He also pointed out EHDC had voiced its preference for the Bohunt Park site off Portsmouth Road at the beginning of last year, which was refused by the South Downs National Park Authority, following strong protests by local groups and the parish council, which also proposed a relief road between Longmoor Road and Portsmouth Road.

Since Lowsley Farm was EHDC’s allocated site, they invited Easterton to re-submit their plans for a further 175 houses.

Mr Mouland stressed the developer’s plans for The Square were not mandatory and did not have to be included in the housing application.

A year ago district councillors voted overwhelmingly against phase two at the farm, which they described as “lacking organic vision”, and calling it a “commuter estate”.

Housebuilders Taylor Wimpey will develop phase one, but Boyer Planning confirmed if the proposed phase two for 175 more homes is approved, other housebuilders would be invited to submit plans for a tender to build them.

The revised application proposes a mixture of 34 one-bed homes, 100 two-beds, 122 three-beds, 64 four-beds and 10 five beds, with up to 40 per cent to be affordable housing, which equates to 132 homes.

The proposed access for the entire site is via one mini-roundabout on Longmoor Road, with an emergency and pedestrian access adjacent to 98 Longmoor Road and further pedestrian and cycle links proposed onto Yeomans Lane as well as three places on Lark Rise.

The site has been a major flood risk area for many years, but Easterton claims the drainage of the site and the surrounding area has been the subject of special consideration, and the flood risk assessment and drainage statement attached to the application, confirmed the implementation of sustainable drainage system (SUDS) would prevent any increase in flood risk.

In addition, Easterton now proposes contributions for a Section 106 agreement to help pay for primary education facilities – with Liphook Infant and Junior Schools as the beneficiaries – as well as transport improvements, up to 40 per cent affordable housing, allotments, nature conservation, landscape, heritage and environmental improvements, and contributions to off-site provision of public open space and recreation facilities.

After listening to arguments from both sides for more than an hour, councillors of Liphook and Bramshott Parish Council’s planning committee again unanimously objected to the proposed outline planning application by Easterton.

lAN application by Reside Developments for 36 dwellings on land owned by the Pope family, off Headley Road, in Liphook, were refused by EHDC planners who said the greenfield site backing onto Lowsley Farm, failed to show any “genuine and proven local need”.