A PETERSFIELD Neighbourhood Plan guiding light says a Penns Place estate will see more houses built in the town than agreed by residents.

Jamie Matthews of Beckham Lane, an independent member on Petersfield Town Council and East Hampshire District Council, was the plan’s steering group spokesman.

He said: “If the district council gets permission for houses at Penns Place, it would be a ‘windfall’ site.

“These would be extra to the houses proposed for the town over the life of the plan.”

The plan earmarks sites for 812 houses and was approved in 2015 by residents.

At the time, the district council said it would ‘guide planning decisions and shape the future of the town over the next 15 years.’

But recently the district council cabinet earmarked £150,000 for ‘pursuing residential planning consent for Penns Place council offices.’

Although Penns Place is inside the town boundary, it is outside the development area (Settlement Policy Boundary) so is in effect countryside.

Cllr Matthews said: “Penns Place was looked at for housing, but the area was earmarked as a sports hub instead.

“If planning permission for houses is given, how will that affect the sports hub?”

And government changes to planning guidelines could see the Penns Place scheme approved much quicker than before.

Cllr Matthews said: “When we were writing the plan, we didn’t expect such significant changes brought in so quickly.”

And it appears the power of the plan may be waning.

Cllr Matthews warns approval by South Downs National Park planners for an Aldi store in Frenchmans Road is against its ‘spirit and recommendations.’

The national park ‘local’ plan for the whole park overrides the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan, he added.

And the Aldi decision could encourage the ambition for a Penns Place estate.

A recently-started Neighbourhood Plan review by Petersfield Town Council is likely to take up to two years, and could result only in ‘minor tweaks’.