BRANSGORE people are being urged to fight a pub company's plans to build homes in the car park of a popular inn.

Inntown Pub Co says it has no intention of closing down the Carpenters Arms in Burley Road.

"A running pub is worth a lot more to us than selling houses," said Peter Upton, Inntown's communications manager.

Inntown has just submitted plans for six houses and a flat in part of the pub car park and has fenced off the section to be developed.

The plans follow hot on the heels of an application for new children's play equipment in the garden at the rear of the pub.

Mr Upton said the play equipment plans and a projected refurbishment of the pub showed the company's commitment to keeping it open. "It's one of our most profitable pubs and we're going to spend more money to maintain that status," he explained.

But Bransgore Residents' Association chairman Bill Cotton is still urging a campaign against the homes.

"The general feeling is that the pub itself is not under threat, which is what we fought for last year," he said.

"But we're still going to start a campaign in the village, but it's more about the suitability of the car park there."

He claimed double parking in the reduced car park means that disabled people's minibuses have no space to turn round and customers are now parking in Westbury Close on the other side of Burley Road.

Additionally, if the homes are built, not enough parking places will have been provided for residents, putting added stress on available parking. Mr Cotton wants people to write to New Forest District Council.

Mr Upton denied there was a parking problem, saying: "If you look at how many cars are on the car park at any given time there is plenty of space there.

"If there was a problem the council would not have allowed us to get to this stage."

Five of the proposed new homes will be for sale and the other two for rent.

First published: September 7