WHITCHURCH residents campaigning against the proposed demolition of Berehill House have stepped up a gear after developers withdrew two of their four applications.

Prospective purchasers Kingsoak Homes submitted four applications - two for conservation area consent to demolish the nursing home and two for full planning permission to build 40 dwellings with associated parking on the site.

The applicant withdrew the original of each application, which initially led to the many objectors celebrating a victory.

But the celebration was short-lived after discovery that the applications were simply duplicates and the plans to demolish the house and develop the site remain. Chairman of the protest committee Steve Soos, of Jobson Close, said: "In the early days of this campaign, many people asked why there were two sets of applications. Well, now this should be apparent.

"Application agents very often exploit this 'loophole' in the procedures to cynically enhance their case on the basis that individuals objecting are not familiar with planning procedures.

"By duplicating the applications, they hope the majority of objectors will respond to the initial applications and not the duplicates.

"This ploy has a good track record in large planning applications; that's why agents use it and why we tried to insist that everyone objects equally to all the applications."

The protest committee is now distributing flyers to households in the town alerting them that the applications are still on the planning register and are due to come before Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's development control committee at a later date.

They are also writing to all members of the committee with a 20 point summary objection and have prepared an objection presentation for use if needed at the planning meeting.