A PACKED public meeting at Fernhurst heard about revised plans to convert the former ICI and Syngenta site. Developer's, Brookstream Properties Ltd, part of the larger Comer Development Group, presented blueprints for the site to locals at the village hall on Thursday, last week. The plans include the conversion of the existing Highfield office block into 288 flats and a health and fitness club; while the Pagoda Conference Centre will be redeveloped as 21 flats. Controversially, Brookstream's plans for the site also include two new buildings split into 120 flats and 11 new family homes, some of which will be 'affordable' for key workers. Representatives from Chichester District Council were also on hand at the meeting to explain the national and regional guidelines which influence them when making recommendations and decisions on planning applications of this scale. Louise Gibbons, Chichester District Council's local planning manager, told the meeting: "The council has assessed the planned development of housing in the region until 2012 and we have identified that there is likely to be a regional shortfall of 300 houses. In a situation like this, national policy forces us to consider all new proposals for housing favourably." She said the issue is not simply one of scale. Fernhurst is located in the Sussex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and also within the boundaries of the proposed South Downs National Park. Shirley Wright from the Council to Protect Rural England, north Chichester committee, objected to the proposed development in a letter to the planning committee where she stated: "This development plans to introduce a sizeable community of people into the countryside which is isolated from amenities and services." Ms Wright's concerns were echoed by local residents at the meeting, who said the only bus service in and out of Fernhurst was hourly and that the service was generally too unreliable for anyone wishing to commute to work or onwards by train from Haslemere station. Members of the parish council were also keen to address some of the issues that had been of concern to local people including the already over- stretched local amenities, utilities and services. Mark Lees of the developer's Brookstream stressed the new development had excellent sustainable credentials, with plans to collect and reuse waste water and generate some power with a geothermal bore holes in the grounds. When questioned about the potential demographic of the new residents, Mr Lees said initial marketing of the site led Brookstream to believe that the majority of residents would be retired or semi- retired. The meeting was thrown open to questions and local residents were unanimous in their concerns that the development could swamp the village of Fernhurst and have wider ramifications for residents in nearby Haselmere and Midhurst. Continued on page 3.