ROAD safety campaigners in the New Forest have lost their battle to halt the expansion of a huge NHS site on their doorstep.

Hampshire County Council has approved a controversial plan to build an 80-bed nursing home as part of a multi-million-pound scheme to redevelop the former Tatchbury Mount Hospital at Calmore.

The application had been opposed by people living in narrow country lanes surrounding the 123-acre site.

They said the nursing home, coupled with other developments taking place on the site, would create a traffic nightmare on lanes "built for the horse and cart".

But the application was approved yesterday at a meeting of the county council's regulatory panel.

Officers cited the need for the new nursing home - part of a £60m plan to ease Hampshire's shortage of beds for the elderly.

They also stressed that Hampshire Social Services had drawn up a staff travel plan that aimed to limit the number of journeys made by car.

However, the application came under fire from Calmore resident Ken Ball, who said the growth of Tatchbury Mount would damage the New Forest National Park and would affect a public right of way.

He added: "The site is most unsuitable for a nursing home. It's distant from shops and community facilities, is served by poor public transport and the access roads are narrow, unlit country lanes with no footpaths."

Mr Ball also criticised plans to house elderly patients on a site that would also include three psychiatric units.

He added: "I know that nursing home beds are needed, but the county council has an alternative site which has no planning problems and could be used if the Tatchbury site is rejected."

Local councillor Derek Tipp said: "I accept that some development of the site can be accommodated, but there should be a limit.

"An alternative site at Denmead is not in a National Park and may have a better road network. Why not build the facility there?"

Cllr Tipp said any decision to approve the Tatchbury scheme should be followed by conditions aimed at protecting people living in the area.

He claimed the travel plan failed to meet the concerns of residents, and suggested that Loperwood and Pauletts Lane should be subject to width, speed and weight restrictions, plus traffic calming measures.