A RESIDENTSÕ action group has been formed to battle against any future planning application proposing to build a large number of homes in Lindford.

The parish council postponed its monthly meeting on Monday to instead organise the public meeting from which the action group was formed.

The group will lobby, independently from the parish council, for the refusal of any application to build homes at the bottom of Chase Road. But it will be no easy task as East Hampshire District Council wants to allocate the site as being suitable for up to 165 large homes.

Developer Charles Church has already taken steps to pave the way for a planning application although none have been forthcoming despite decorations from the housebuilder that an application would be coming soon.

The parish council fears that the developer will try for permission to build up to 275 homes which, it says, will have a devastating effect on the village.

The new residentsÕ groupÕs brief will include fund raising, increasing awareness in the village and doing everything that it can force EHDC to ditch any future plans for the site for fears of increased flooding and traffic problems.

Around 45 residents and parish councillors were at MondayÕs meeting to listen to the arguments against the applications but also the risks the village faces if it opposes them.

Lindford Parish CouncilÕs planning committee chairman Eric Birkett told The Herald: ÒI ran through the reasons for objection and there were quite a few questions about the lack of sustainability in the village.

ÒI also told residents about planning gain and how that if we object and the application is dismissed, but then later granted at appeal, they donÕt have to give us anything.Ó

At the meeting Mr Birkett urged residents to become involved in the action group as this, he said, could be the key to fighting off any future planning application.

He said: ÒIt is felt by the parish council that this would add a lot of weight when opposition is made concerning any proposed development.

ÒWe are still awaiting any form of planning application and there is every possibility that the number of houses will now be 165, and could even rise to approximately 275.

ÒThere is increasing concern that part of the development area, conveniently put to one side for any planning gain such as football pitches, riverside walks, etc, would be regularly under water, and therefore would not be available for use by residents.

ÒThere is every possibility that the water running off from any proposed development area into the River Wey would not only cause flooding on any football pitches, riverside walk etc, but could also cause flooding elsewhere, in particular the lower parts of the gardens in and around the Waterside Close, Bordon, side of the river which is already prone to flooding.

ÒThese are the main reasons for objecting, and of course another very important reason is that the village appraisal sent to every residential home in Lindford overwhelmingly showed that no further houses should be built in Lindford.

ÒThe instigators of the village appraisal scheme were EHDC so that they could see what residents in villages in their area wanted. Well they know our wishes, but are prepared to ignore them.

ÒThere are many more aspects to opposing the proposed development, such as EHDC stating Lindford is not rural and not even semi-rural although places like Bucks Horn Oak, Kingsley, Selborne, Upper Farringdon, Greatham, Grayshott, and 17 other villages all with populations of under 3,000 like that of Lindford, are classed as rural.Ó

Mr Birkett told that although he was disappointed that more residents did not attend the public meeting, he was confident that the village was taking a step in the right direction.

ÒI am pleased that some of the people who did turn up have put their names forward for the action group and we shall see what they go from here.Ó