WAVERLEY planners have refused a new development of 23 luxury retirement flats, following demolition of two neighbouring homes in ‘spacious plots’ near Swan Barn Farm, in Haslemere.

The redevelopment, rising from two to three-and-a-half storeys, is proposed by Renaissance Retirement at Nos. 38 and 40 Petworth Road, on a two-acre site.

An underground car park with 23 spaces and two lifts will be provided for residents, with four ground-level spaces for visitors.

It was turned down on the grounds it would be “cramped and crowded” and out of scale, would result in an “unacceptable loss of privacy” to No. 42, and could endanger an ancient oak subject to tree preservation order.