A SITE visit to the five police houses in Whitehill proved to be decisive for councillors in refusing an application to demolish the buildings.

The application by Sentinel Housing Group, was to demolish the houses next to the police station in Petersfield Road and replace them with 21 two and three-bedroom terraced and semi-detached houses, and four flats.

The proposals concerned the triangular shaped land which contains the police houses and the triangular land off Sutton Field which currently houses 31 lock-up garages.

Unlike a previous plan, which was withdrawn by the applicant, access to the homes will be from Sutton Field after concern was raised about the previous applicantÕs plans for an access off of the A325.

The district council has received nine letters of concern from local residents.

The concerns raised include the ÒinadequateÓ access to the site via Sutton Field, which is narrow and has limited parking and the loss of garaging, which residents felt would mean even more cars would need to park on the road in Sutton Field.

Speaking at the meeting councillor David Kidd said: ÒThe more IÕve thought about the development the more uncertain IÕve become. This is not the right thing for Bordon and Whitehill.Ó

Mr Kidd said that he felt the site visit was worthwhile because it gave members the chance to see that the housing estate at Sutton Field is already busy with cars.

ÒThe practical terms of the future are that people are going to keep on using cars. There is a bus stop near the site but with prices and availability the way they are there is no temptation to use buses,Ó he said.

ÒThis development just doesnÕt feel right to me. The whole development is a square peg in a round whole.Ó

Zoya Faddy agreed with Mr KiddÕs comments and she added: ÒI do believe that to have the only access via Sutton Field you have to negotiate two blind bends.

ÒResidents on the estate are already saying that driving is a problem.Ó

The objections were echoed by councillor Michael Watkinson who described to members the ÒnightmareÓ he had encountered when he was a practising doctor doing house visits in Sutton Field.

ÒIt was a nightmare trying to find homes in the dark and trying to negotiate cars,Ó he said.

Dr Watkinson told members that if they granted permission for the application the town would be Ògetting rid of homesÓ which it desperately needs.

ÒWe currently have five police homes of four bedrooms which is what we desperately need and here we are debating their demolition,Ó he said.

ÒThere is also the hazard of injury with the amount of traffic. I think members need to be aware that our heads are on the block if we agree this proposal.Ó

Members were told that although access for cars would be through Sutton Field emergency vehicles would be able to access the site from Petersfield Road.

The loss of garages was considered a problem by councillors as there are currently 31 garages on the site, 15 of which are occupied.

Councillor Jim McKell said that he felt the application was ÒcrazyÓ and that if it had been submitted anywhere else in the district it Òwould not even have got this farÓ.

The application was turned down by a majority vote of 16 to two they refused the application.