COUNCILLORS have expressed grave concerns at plans for 12 flats to be built on Forest Road.
For the applicants, Irene, Carol and Chloe Lawes, plan to demolish the two shops, two flats and one home currently on the site to make way for the development.
At MondayÕs meeting of Whitehill Town CouncilÕs planning and amenities committee members were shocked by the proposals.
And although the applicants have stated that the flats would be two-storey, members felt that with the proposed dormer windows the homes would appear to be three-storey.
Geraldine Meeson was concerned about the lack of garden space for the potential residents.
ÒWe expect people to have homes and proper gardens. Why flats? What possibly benefit to anybody are flats,Ó she said.
And she felt that the flats would not be in keeping with the other homes in the town.
ÒPerhaps Alton, Petersfield or Aldershot but not here. We should oppose these plans on three grounds. One - they are not in keeping, two - it would mean the loss of retail units and three because we are inundated with starter homes. We need bigger homes,Ó she said.
Mayor Faith Thomas felt that concern should also be expressed about the amount of traffic the homes would bring.
ÒIt would be a nightmare,Ó she said.
And councillors felt that if proposals, submitted recently, for 33 homes on land north of Devon Road were also granted the traffic on Forest Road would be a nightmare.
As previously reported by The Herald councillors objected to the plans for a residential development north of Devon Road on the grounds that the proposed site was not allocated for residential use in the Local Plan.
But for now members have agreed to voice their concerns over the plans for 12 flats in Forest Road on the grounds that it would be out of keeping and would cause additional traffic problems.
And the council will also be emphasisingthe fact that the town has a need for larger homes not smaller ones.