PROPOSALS to demolish a block of offices and build a retirement complex in its place go against the Petersfield Neighbourhood Plan, says one of its co-authors.

The blueprint for the town is aimed at giving planners clear guidance when deciding planning applications.

But town mayor Jamie Matthews insists the plan clearly states that the two storey Paris House office block in Frenchmans Road is for employment use only and proposals being drawn up to replace the offices with a retirement complex are not in the plan.

He said: “To use the site for anything other than employment goes against the neighbourhood plan which was accepted by residents in a referendum last year.

“There aren’t enough offices here for start-up companies and small businesses and if the existing building isn’t modern enough, then it should be demolished and replaced with new offices.”

But in a letter dated October 17 to residents living near Paris House, McCarthy and Stone regional manager Shane Paul said “a programme of pre-application consultation” had begun.

At private one-to-one meetings last Wednesday Rushes Road residents heard retirement home builder McCarthy and Stone had recently acquired an interest in Paris House. Gary Dowdeswell, a resident of Rushes Road, said he was told that once the offices had been demolished, McCarthy and Stone aimed to build a retirement complex there.

The offices were formerly home to Estee Lauder Beauty Products, but East Hampshire District Council’s (EHDC) building regulations department says they can be demolished.

But EHDC says that although Southern Demolition of Byfleet in Surrey has permission to clear the site, any demolition work must be approved by planners first.

A?previous proposal for Paris House in September 2016 to demolish the offices and build 37 houses on the site was refused by South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) planners.

After that refusal, developers Lynwood Scientific Development lost an appeal against the SDNPA refusal.

A McCarthy and Stone spokesman said the long term plan was to replace the offices with a retirement complex.