THE decision on the sale of part of a car park in Hook has been deferred.

Members of the cabinet at Hart District Council agreed to defer the decision on 12 spaces in the Crossways car park, in Reading Road, for one year, at its August meeting last Thursday.

As reported in The Gazette, officers at Hart recommended selling part of the car park and a closed public toilet block.

Members had previously deferred a decision on the sale for one month at the cabinet meeting in July.

Councillors Brian Burchfield and Mike Morris, ward members for Hook, spoke against the sale at the August meeting, as did Anne Atkins, clerk at Hook Parish Council.

They argued that while the car park is under-used, it will become more valuable as the village expands, with land to the north east of the village earmarked for more than 500 new homes.

In a statement released after the meeting, the two Conservative councillors said: “The permanent loss of these car parking spaces would have had significant adverse affects on Hook in the long term.

“Although under-utilised now, all spaces in this car park will be required both in the short term as Hook Infant and Junior schools expand as well as the long term as new development comes to the area.”

The councillors added that any potential sale of any amenity in Hook or Rotherwick should be offered to the parish councils as well as any private organisation.