RESIDENTS campaigning against plans to build 30 new homes in Redlands Lane, Crondall, have accused the district council of “bending rules” to accommodate the developer.

A community crowdfunding campaign has been launched to fight the application by ‘Crondall Developments Limited’, for which the campaigners claim Hart District Council “has already accepted a payment of almost £300,000” from the developer.

The council disputes it has done anything wrong, however, commenting that the payment - for Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG) to offset the development’s “adverse effect” on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area - will be returned should the application be refused.

Crondall Developments Ltd proposes the demolition of existing stable buildings at Broden Stables, to be replaced by 30 “predominantly family homes” including eight social rented and four shared-ownership homes.

It also proposes 62 parking spaces on the three-and-a-half acre site, which overlooks Crondall New Surgery and Oak Park Golf Course, and has already consulted residents, as well as Crondall Parish Council and GPs.

However, the application has to-date received 173 objections online, compared to just one comment in support, with concerns about traffic, impacts on the surgery and countryside at the front of objectors’ minds.

“Redlands Lane is a tight single track country lane with few passing places and no pavement beyond the surgery,” said Noel Coloe who lives on the lane’s junction with Pankridge Street.

“To build an estate of 30 new homes on the fields here, which is outside the village’s development area, will not only destroy this rural lane and countryside but cause further traffic and safety issues in a narrow lane that is simply not fit for purpose.

“The site is adjacent to the surgery and will impact both residents and those visiting the doctor and, more worryingly, potentially increase the vulnerability of pedestrians.”

The idea for the crowdfunding effort came when Crondall heard of how Winchfield residents employed a planning consultant and a Queen’s Counsel when they faced a similar challenge from Hart District Council and developers.

Crondall is raising money across the community for the appointment of an expert planning consultant to review Hart’s approach so far and represent villagers in forthcoming meetings with the council.

The fundraising is being led by another nearby resident, Giovanni Maruca, who has also raised concerns about the adverse effect the development would have on properties adjacent to the River Hart, which has a history of flooding the locality.

“There is a good reason the Environment Agency has a flood monitoring station at the bottom of Redlands Lane,” he said.

“The drains on Redlands Lane collect rainfall from the fields and woodland around the lane, and the golf course. Even with the current slow run-off from the fields the lane is overwhelmed with water during wet winters to become a river in its own right and threatens family homes at the bottom of the lane.

“The water from the lane then runs into the River Hart, which during wet periods can break its banks into residents’ gardens.

“Concreting over three acres of fields, even with a pond the developer is proposing, will increase the run off onto the lane and further impact families on Redlands Lane and Pankridge Street.

“We’ve told Hart District Council and Hampshire County Council about this, but it is falling on deaf ears - they say it won’t ‘significantly increase’ the flooding, when any increase could be catastrophic for homeowners.”

Residents say they are becoming “increasingly concerned and confused” by the district council’s view on the proposed development, and have expressed bewilderment at Hart’s designation of the countryside site as ‘brownfield’.

Mr Coloe continued: “From our discussions with Hart’s planning team and some ward councillors, it would seem that they are bending or even breaking their own planning rules to accommodate this London developer.

“Plus, they seem to have already accepted a payment of around £296,914 from the developer before the development has been reviewed and approved or rejected - which at best seems to be odd business practice.

“It’s almost as if Hart District Council has pre-determined that this will be approved.”

Responding, a spokesman for Hart District Council said: “We have a planning application to determine and it will be determined inline with our planning policy guidelines.

“Firstly, it has to be made quite clear that the council does not secure any financial advantage by taking SANG payments.

“The funds can only be used for the maintenance and management of SANGs and cannot be used for anything else. The fact that an applicant has secured SANG through payment is a recognised approach.

“Secondly, the approach adopted is acceptable and was agreed by the council’s cabinet in June 2016. In addition the council published a guidance note that explains how the scheme operates [online at www.hart.gov.uk].

“As the guidance note confirms, should planning permission be refused any funds secured will be returned to the applicant.”

Hart expects to determine the application, which can be viewed online at publicaccess.hart.gov.uk under reference 16/02377/FUL, on Wednesday, April 12.

For more information about the challenge by Crondall residents visit the website bit.ly/helpcrondall