VILLAGERS in Odiham will get a chance to look at new plans to restore the village’s deer park.

The plan, which is yet to go before planners at Hart District Council, would see deer reintroduced to the park, which lies to the north of High Street.

References to a deer park in Odiham stretch as far as back as the 12th century, although it was converted into farmland in the late 16th century.

The land has also acted as a buffer for development between the villages of Odiham and North Warnborough.

Planning consultants Bell Cornwell will unveil the new plan at the Vine Church, in London Road, between 1pm and 8pm on Friday, April 24, and between 10am and 2pm the following day.

An early version of the plan included building ten houses on the site, including one for the landowner, in order to finance the project.

A new access from Dunleys Hill would be built, along with a footpath or cycleway from east to west, an as yet undefined community building and additional car parking space at the Odiham Health Centre, in Deer Park View.

Members of Odiham Parish Council and Hart District Council met with the landowner and Bell Cornwell as early as September last year to hear about the plan.

A parish council report from that meeting stated: “There is still a lot of work to do on the details and so a formal planning application is believed to be some way off.

“Odiham Parish Council awaits details of a more formal, complete proposal at which point it will submit its comments to Hart District Council under its statutory duty as consultee.”