ANGRY residents have vowed to fight the developers they claim are intent on swamping the leafy suburbs of Highcliffe with hundreds of new flats.

Within the last year the government has overturned four decisions made by Christchurch Borough Council on appeal and given developers permission to build hundreds of flats in the village.

But Highcliffe Residents' Association says "enough is enough" and has promised to fight to prevent the same happening with three more appeals to knock down seven homes and replace then with 116 flats, due to be heard in the next few months.

Highcliffe already has the highest concentration of people aged over 60, 70 and 90 in Europe and most of the new flats consist of sheltered accommodation for the elderly.

But the residents' association fears the flats will turn Highcliffe from a village into a town, unbalance the demographics still further and stretch its transport, shopping and medical infrastructure to breaking point.

The group's new vice-chairman, John Mather, said: "We have decided the only response that might have an effect is to raise the profile of what is happening, before we live in a concrete jungle."

Highcliffe Residents' Association has already started to rally its 6,000 members and has sent out hundreds of flyers calling for people living in Wharncliffe Road to voice their objections to plans to build three blocks of flats in the road.

The residents' association is appealing for them to come to the borough council's offices at 10am on October 13 and support their opposition to the planning appeal to demolish three houses and replace them with 14 flats.

First published: Sept 30