A PUBLIC inquiry to decide if a controversial plan for 20 retirement homes will be built on land next to the Royal Anchor Hotel in Liphook, got off to a slow start on Wednesday.

More than 40 local people, councillors, environmental group representatives and the developers packed into Liphook Village Hall on Wednesday to air their views.

The application, by Taywood Lifestyle Homes, was rejected by East Hampshire District Council planners earlier in the year because of the strength of local opposition.

Villagers were concerned that the development could turn Liphook into a "concrete jungle".

The government planning inspector, Graham Dudley, summarised the arguments for and against.

He stated that there were three main issues; how the development could affect the character of the area; the living conditions of adjoining occupiers, and the future viability of the Royal Anchor as a business.

A sticking point came when a representative for the developers said that not enough time have been given to the developers to respond to the parish council's statement because of its late submission to the inquiry.

"It does raise new issues that we don't have the expertise to deal with today," said Taywood homes' spokesman Mr Armstrong.

The parish council, which strongly objected to the original application, engaged planning consultant DM Planning to speak on its behalf at the inquiry.

Councillor Anna James explained why the submission had been delayed.

"It is very rare for a parish council to finance a planning consultant, so it had to go through the council procedure of being ratified," she said.

The inspector accepted the statement but kept the possibility of adjournment open if the developers felt they needed time to formulate a formal response.

Mr Dudley advised the inquiry that if it were to be delayed by another day, any costs incurred would have to be met by the parish council.

Among those present at the inquiry were East Hampshire district councillors for Liphook, and district council planning officers.

Bramshott and Liphook Preservation Society was represented by chairman Adrian Bird, who had previously stressed the importance of the Royal Anchor, a Grade II listed building.

The proposal for the retirement homes was turned down by planners last year, after East Hampshire District Council planning officers had recommended permission for the scheme.

Among local concerns about was its effect on the historic significance of the The Anchor a former coaching inn and potential loss of Liphook's only "green lung", a stretch of land that leads up to the development site.

A final decision on the matter is likely to be made by the government inspector within the next six to eight weeks.