A TROUBLED church hall project dogged by delays and controversy has hit another snag, with the long-awaited start of construction put on hold.

All Saints' Church chiefs at Hordle and their chosen builders have run into more problems with the £650,000 project for a two-storey memorial hall on the adjoining graveyard, after they were refused permission to site work cabins on nearby school land.

Objectors are pleading with the church for a last-minute change of heart which would re-locate the scheme - but builders are hopeful the access issues will be resolved "fairly quickly" and work begin as planned.

Construction on the project - already held up for years due to widespread concerns over building on graves and potential traffic chaos in the narrow Hordle Lane - was due to commence by the end of August.

But Hordle Primary School - which ironically has church vicar Canon Michael Anderson on its board of governors - declined permission for builders Mount Joy to put portable cabins on its land.

The decision followed Hampshire County Council's earlier refusal to put the cabins in a lay-by outside the church because of traffic implications along Woodcock Lane.

A strip of land between the cemetery and the school is now being targeted, although that was originally earmarked as the main access point to the building site.

"We are still addressing the access issue with the local planning authority, but hope to resolve the situation and begin work fairly quickly," said a Mount Joy spokesman.

Another major hurdle for the scheme also has to be overcome this month when New Forest planners consider plans to redevelop the existing Memorial Hall site with six new homes. The sale of the land is a key block in the church's funding plans.

And opponents are still campaigning for the project to be halted. Objectors Committee leader Tim Boyce said: "We are hoping against hope the church will see sense at the last minute and consider an alternative."