THE chairman of the Petersfield-based East Hampshire District Council planning committee has defended decisions made by district planners after they were accused by a parish councillor of having "an ignorant approach to local planning matters".

It followed a controversial planning application to widen the 285 metres of a rural access road to a golf club north of Petersfield by one metre, which was given the green light earlier this month.

For full story, see this week's Petersfield Herald.