FEARS that one of the most congested roads in Haslemere could become even busier, have been set aside by town councillors.

Members of the planning and highways committee voted in favour of plans to build a block of flats on Kings Road, despite concerns that additional parking on the road may cause problems.

However, it was a split vote and it was committee chairman Michael Foster who decided that no objection should be raised.

But Haslemere's mayor Michael Barnes, who voted in favour of the plans, said: "If people want to buy the flats they know they will have a parking problem."

The proposed development, which could take the place of the existing Kings Road Garage filling station and showroom, includes 14 one- and two-bedroom flats.

The plans include a lower ground-floor car park for residents and a forecourt parking area for use by visitors and disabled people.

The road has a varied history and, although it is now predominantly residential, the site of the planned flats was once part of the town's gas works.

Developer Stephen Joyce of Intobeige Ltd said he believed the proposed residential development would create far less traffic congestion than a commercial redevelopment of the site. He also said that the land would benefit from an "environmental clean up".

But Jacquie Keen said that if the development was given the go ahead by Waverley planners, there was the potential for more than 28 extra cars to be parked on the road, either by visitors or residents with two cars.

She said: "The road is very much used as a rat-run and can sometimes be dangerous. If more cars were parked on the bend near the railway bridge, things could get even worse."

Ted Orchard said the flats would be desirable for young people but said the road already suffered from "bumper-to- bumper" parking and was worried this could become an even bigger problem.

Even though the proposed development does provide parking for visitors, Michael Biddiscombe said he did not feel sufficient provision had been made for households with more than one car.

He said: "The development is totally appropriate to the area but I would like to see more effort made to provide visitor parking.

"If this does not happen, an already cluttered Kings Road will become even more cluttered."

But Mr Biddiscombe also told members of the committee that he did not believe the flats would create any more movement of traffic on the road than the existing garage.

Jacquie Keen said that although she was extremely concerned about the parking situation, she thought the development would fill the gap of affordable one- and two-bedroom properties in Haslemere could encourage more young people to buy properties in the town.

Residents of Kings Road have made numerous complaints that the road is used by commuters as a free car park.

However, developer Stephen Joyce claimed this week that all the people he has contacted have agreed that the development would be advantageous to them and to the locality.

He said: "A change from commercial use to residential use will see a massive reduction in the traffic flow to and from the site. The residents of Kings Road will benefit from this reduction in traffic flow.

"The development provides adequate parking for residents of the flats and their visitors.

"It is the responsibility of Waverley to deal with the existing parking problems on the road."