A RANGE of homes for older people could be built to help fill the need for housing for elderly people in Petersfield.

The proposal, by Pacalis (SDV) Limited, would see a care accommodation complex built on land east of Harrier Way.

It would be an assisted living community, consisting of a community hub, and a mix of for sale and rental apartments and cottages.

The land is earmarked in the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan for elderly accommodation, and the complex would meet demand for local housing for older people.

The East of Petersfield Community Group, whose members live in and around Harrier Way, met last week to discuss the proposal.

Group chairman Steve Dewey said: “I worked on the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan, and most residents are happy with it.

“From our meeting most of the residents were also happy with what these developers spoke about, and prefer it to more housing.

“I think people generally will be OK with what’s going on, although it may take two years from start to finish to get it up and running.

“This is more about the people who will be living there; they will be able to have people locally looking after their care needs.

“It’s a change from the older style residential home.

“It’s more about keeping people in homes they own or rent and looking after them and making them happy.

“Petersfield doesn’t have these facilities, which we need rather than the older residential homes which are going out of fashion.”

And Steve believes the proposed complex won’t increase traffic issues on Harrier Way, which residents claim is a rat run, along which cars often speed.

He said: “There will be three exits to this site so we aren’t going to have lots of people coming out from one point.

“We won’t have a build up of traffic in the area.”

Residents have recently been given a leaflet outlining traffic issues on Harrier Way, which leads to the Taro Leisure Centre, and the East Hampshire District Council offices at Penns Place.

Plans for the complex can be viewed on the South Downs National Park Authority planning website at: www.southdowns.gov.uk/planning