PETERSFIELDÕS much- needed hotel looks no closer to becoming a reality after East Hampshire District CouncilÕs planning committee gave the thumbs down to the latest 38-bedroom proposal for the Red Lion in College Street.

But councillors are willing to give developer Whitbread a chance to meet their demands for an improved design and better parking arrangements by deferring their decision on the plans.

Members of the south planning sub-committee put together a string of negative comments about WhitbreadÕs third attempt for a hotel, which includes work to the Masonic Hall, at a meeting last Thursday.

Andrew Pattie described the application as Òa shamblesÓ and Peter Rodgers said he had seen Òbetter designed warehousesÓ.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Teresa Jamieson said she was disappointed by the plans.

But she urged councillors not to scare developers away from the site by throwing out the application altogether. She said the need for an hotel in Petersfield was great.

She said: ÒWe do need a hotel in Petersfield and we need it in the town centre, I have always felt this is one of the best sites in the town. This application has improved a bit from previous efforts but there is still some way to go.

ÒThis particular area in Petersfield has a very high number of listed buildings. I would like whatever goes ahead here to be a landmark building for the town.

ÒAs you come into Petersfield from the A3 this is one of the first things you see. It is a very, very sensitive site.Ó

She added: ÒI would like the committee to defer this item. I want to see the hotel happen but I donÕt want it to look like this. If we refuse this application we may lose the chance for a hotel on this site.

ÒNow is the right time for Petersfield to have a hotel but the design is not good enough.Ó

But Andrew Pattie said the proposed design was ÒlazyÓ and should be refused.

He said: ÒI canÕt see how a large organisation like Whitbread can simply walk into town, take this off-the-shelf design and stick it in the centre of town.

ÒThis is not good enough for this committee, there are too many problems for this application to be deferred. It is a shambles.

ÒAnyone with an ounce of sense can see this is a cracking site and I donÕt think by refusing this application we will lose the chance for a hotel.Ó

Anne Claxton disagreed and reminded councillors what happened when plans for a hotel at the White Heart pub were turned down.

She said: ÒThere is no doubt that Petersfield wants a hotel but weÕve already lost the possibility for accommodation at the White Heart because we kept talking about it and not coming to a decision.

ÒI donÕt particularly like what I see but I canÕt think of a way to get around the problems.Ó

One of the problems facing Whitbread and East Hampshire District Council is the question of parking provision.

The latest application includes plans to rearrange the Festival Hall car park. This would create an extra 10 spaces to increase the capacity from 214 spaces to 224.

But to provide safety for customers Whitbread proposes to erect a time-controlled barrier which would annex 28 spaces, surveyed by CCTV cameras in the evenings.

Parking at the Red Lion would also be reduced from 24 spaces to 12 as a result of the development.

Councillors were keen to ensure that the new parking arrangements would not affect shoppers, workers and commuters.

Mrs Jamieson said: ÒThe town council and members are very split between the need for a hotel and the need for parking spaces.

ÒI respect the need for the hotel to have secure car parking but I think the timing of the barrier system needs to be looked at. We must make sure that commuters and workers can park.Ó

Another concern raised by councillors was the effect the proposed development would have on trees at the site.

In a report to the committee EHDC planning officer Julia Mansi told councillors that the aboricultural officer had raised objections to the positioning of the building.

She said the large ash nearest the site clearly overhung the building and would have to be lopped. She told councillors this could seriously affect the future growth of the tree.

But Brian Dutton urged councillors to put the need for a hotel before the future of the ash.

He said: ÒI cannot believe we would allow one tree to stand in the way of the hotel. There are 14 trees on that site and if one has to die for this to go ahead then so be it, another one can be planted.Ó

Mrs Jamieson said the future of trees at the site should not be jeopardised by the application.

She said: ÒIt would take 15 years or more to replace them so we must do our best to preserve them.Ó

Councillors decided to defer a decision on the application and ask planning officer Mrs Mansi if she could carry out further talks with Whitbread to see if the design of the building and details could be improved.