Feathers were ruffled at a public consultation on East Hampshire District Council’s draft Local Plan in Liphook. 

Hundreds attended the session which will help shape development in the area for the next 20 years.

The biggest concern was the relationship with the South Downs National Park (SDNP) which residents felt was hardly mentioned in the draft plan.

A spokesman for the South East Liphook Residents Group (SELReG) said: “With almost half of Bramshott and Liphook in the National Park common sense would dictate that EHDC and SDNP draft their plans together. In the whole document SDNP is mentioned only three times. Surely the best for the village is for both organisations to  work together? But it seems several years separate the production of the two plans; complete madness.”

A lack of communication between statutory bodies wasn’t the only issue for residents. Others included a proposed development on a River Wey conservation area and the already overloaded local infrastructure including roads, schools, GP facilities, sewage and flooding. 

SELReG said: “The Planners are expecting Liphook to just take what they are told and no provision is being made for the people who live and work here. Liphook is full already and without a holistic approach to planning between the two statutory bodies, we greatly fear that Liphook will sink under a tide of floodwater and sewage.”

An EHDC spokesman said: “Our Local Plan consultation is the best way to get views on plans for future development, so we are grateful to SELReG for taking part. Bramshott and Liphook sits right on the border of the national park so of course we are in regular communication with the SNDPA’s planning team. 

“We are also working with the NHS, education authorities, water companies, environmental agencies and more to provide the infrastructure necessary to support our communities.”