HOSTILITIES have been renewed over hugely controversial plans to build a housing estate on school playing fields.

Councillors and residents are up in arms over the latest development scheme for land off Highlands Road in Barton-on-Sea, which has raised the number of homes proposed by more than 50 per cent in just two years.

New Milton Town Council has strongly opposed the plan, warning it could cause traffic chaos and wreck the character of the attractive, low-density area.

The authority is still smarting after losing its battle to save the land - formerly attached to Durlston Court School - from construction, when New Forest planners granted outline permission earlier this year.

Developers Pennyfar-thing Construction negotiated a deal to provide land near Fawcetts Field as a substitute for the loss of the open space, which totals nearly four acres.

But the town council and neighbouring residents are angry that the latest plan has pencilled in 49 homes, compared with just 32 in 1999.

Assistant town clerk Alan Gray said: "Each time this application has come back, the number of properties has increased. There is now a mixture of detached, terraced homes and flats.

"As a result, the proposed access for the estate would be even less able to sustain the additional traffic this would generate, and would be detrimental to existing homes in the area.

"The approach road is very narrow, with a lot of chicanes, and a big influx of extra cars would make the situation very difficult.

"In addition, the surrounding area has a much lower density of homes, and neighbours could suffer from noise, disturbance and smells, as well as loss of light and privacy.

"There remains a very strong feeling in the area against these proposals."