EAST Hampshire District Council could be set for a rethink over plans to sell off land in Liss. The potential move follows concern raised by Liss parish councillors and villagers. Open space in Liss was included in EHDC's plans to dispose of up to £2m of land in the district, which were announced in April. District council officials have now written to the parish council to say a review of the proposals will be carried out, and residents will be contacted for their views. Of particular concern to people living in Liss was EHDC's plan to sell an area of the Inwood Estate. They feared it could lead to parts of the village becoming a "ghetto". Residents feared losing a small plot of land at Dennis Way, with a sunken lane to the rear which serves as a play space for children, a home for animals, and a popular haunt for walkers. The sunken lane – known as Pig's Lane – was, according to Liss woman Margaret Hewitt, "one of the last natural unspoiled sunken lanes in the district". She said it was also popular with walkers and was voted the second most valued Liss asset at the Village Design Group open day two years ago, behind Riverside Walk. EHDC chief executive Will Godfrey responded to the concern raised over the land sale by writing to the parish council. In his letter, he said: "Having listened to your concerns, we have decided to review our plans for the disposal of open space land in Liss. We will be carrying out selected further consultation over the coming months to assist this review. At that stage we will write to local residents in order to obtain their views, and we will contact you (the parish council) again, so that you have a further opportunity to comment on the district council's proposals." He added that the district council's proposed disposal of open space land related solely to proposals for its own land, and not, as parish councillors feared, used as part of EHDC's "approach to housing development to meet the housing requirement in the South East Plan". EHDC land and property manager Chris Fairhead said: "Although the council has placed notices in local papers, and at the start of the year I consulted with local district ward councillors on the sites within their wards, we intend to carry out selected further consultation over the coming months to assist our review." Following correspondence with residents, EHDC officials will then report their findings to cabinet, taking into consideration any comments or objections received. In April, Mrs Hewitt said: "These spaces must be protected. I am sure no-one wishes to see a ghetto in Liss, and it will be a ghetto." Margaret Effenberg, of the Liss Design Group, also warned: "When you sell a piece of land it is gone forever. I urge you all to think twice about giving up any land in Liss as we have not got that much land anyway." EHDC's intention to sell various sites comes under the Local Government Act 1976, to jetison land deemed surplus to requirements.
