PLANNERS have been urged by a Petersfield watchdog to reject proposals for a 66-bedroom care home because it takes no account of a town masterplan.
But while The Petersfield Society has objected in the “strongest possible terms” to the McCarthy and Stone application for the Paris House site, the proposals also have plenty of supporters.
The group insists the application should be turned down because the brownfield site on Frenchmans Road is listed for employment use in the Neighbourhood Plan. Members have also criticised the design and feel there is no need for the development as land off Harrier Way has been earmarked for retirement housing.
Petersfield Town Council’s planning committee has also objected on change of use grounds, while the building’s “institutional” look has been criticised by the South Downs National Park Design Panel.
But more than a dozen letters of support have also been lodged with most citing the need for retirement housing in the town.
One supporter hailed the building’s “very pleasant appearance” and said the proposals represented an “excellent redevelopment of a brownfield site”.
But another wrote: “I do hope some of the apartments will be at the lower end of affordable prices.”
The U-shaped building would contain 39 and 27 one and two-bedroom apartments, respectively, if the current application is approved while a homeowners’ lounge, bistro, communal kitchen, wellness suite, garden and courtyard is also proposed.
For more details about the scheme or to comment type 03309 after following the search link at www.southdowns.gov.uk/planning