MEMBERS of a Camelsdale protest group are sending leaflets to the entire community in an effort to persuade villagers to say no to a controversial housing development

Developers have submitted an outline planning application to Chichester District Council to build 18 homes on back gardens in Camelsdale Road and other strips of land off Sturt Avenue.

Residents fear the development would bring more traffic hazards to Camelsdale, overcrowding, flooding and environmental damage.

"The whole thing stinks and we are just absolutely determined to fight it," said Angela Boyle, one of the leaders of the campaign.

She has also accused Chichester District Community Housing, (CDCH) of "misleading" residents, over the sale of land at the rear of its property, Camelsdale House in Camelsdale Road.

"There is already extensive development in Liphook and Hammer, leading to an appalling increase in traffic through Camelsdale," she declared this week.

She is concerned that the proposed development would bring another 36 cars from the site into Moorfields and on to Camelsdale Road.

"It is very, very narrow and even with double yellow lines the road is effectively one-way."

It would be "unthinkable" said Mrs Boyle, if construction vehicles also used the access road. "Mums already have to push buggies containing small children in the road."

Mrs Boyle said that the original 36 homes planned for Orchard Close in 1986 were reduced to 14 because the narrow access couldn't sustain the traffic.

"Even since then a few more homes have gone up in Sturt Avenue and the traffic density increased many fold. How is it that 16 years ago it was deemed to be too narrow and now all of a sudden it is acceptable?"

Mrs Boyle is also furious that after tree preservation orders were placed on a mature ash, poplars and an oak, only the oak is to stay because the other trees could not be saved.

"We are going to stress how vitally urgent it is to write to Chichester District Council outlining concerns and objections to the development," said Mrs Boyle, who also took issue over the fact that residents were having to travel miles to Chichester to view the plans because they were not at the Midhurst locality office.

Steve Carvell, the head of development at CDC, said it had notified more than 30 residents and was also going to display notices about the proposed development plans.

"We will shortly be visiting the site to access the proposals and review the position regarding the trees."

He said residents had until July 11 to comment on the plans, but the date was likely to be extended because it was considered to be a major development.

A spokesman for CDCH said that the ground had not been sold but "it was down to the council to decide on the development".

"We haven't made any promises," said the spokesman.