THE OWNER of a hostel for homeless people and refugees is set on another collision course with her neighbours after they raised objections to her latest extension plans.

Daphne Downes, owner of The Hinton Hotel in Catisfield, wants to build two log cabins, an outside seating area and bin store at the hostel.

But The Catisfield Residents' Association has attacked the plans.

The association is complaining that the developments will lead to increased noise, anti-social behaviour and cause house prices to drop further.

Mrs Downes insists the extra space is needed with one log cabin to be used for private interview rooms and the other to store her own personal gym equipment.

She said the outside seating area will give somewhere for the hostel's 70 or so homeless men, women and children to sit outside during the summer months.

"We get a lot of emergency refugees, staying here, especially from Iraq," she said. "And there is nowhere private for Refugee Action, the Immigration Service or Social Services to interview them.

"Sometimes interviews are carried out in my living room. The log cabin will make it easier for me and my staff."

Mrs Downes has not had a single offer of interest after extending an invitation to neighbours to visit her premises.

Catisfield councillor Connie Hockley, opposing the latest proposals described The Hinton Hotel as having a "devastating" effect on the local neighbourhood.

"I don't think it's in the right place at all. The people in there would be better off in a city environment.

"In Catisfield the homeless and asylum seekers are right in the country which makes it harder for them to integrate."

It's the second time people living near the Catisfield Lane hostel have put up a fight against new building work.

In October an 82-signature petition and 37 letters of objection were submitted to council planning officers against proposals to convert two empty shops into living quarters for six disabled people.

An appeal into councillors' decision to refuse planning permission is to be heard in January.

Fareham council's planning development control committee will decide on Wednesday whether to grant planning permission for the The Hinton work.