CONCERNS have been raised over a plan to turn a former pub and curry house in Odiham into homes for older people.

As reported in The Gazette, Hexon Developments submitted a pre-application request to Hart District Council about the site currently occupied by The Crown Inn, in Alton Road.

The Crown used to be a pub and was a curry restaurant until September last year.

The proposal put forward by Hexon would see the building demolished and the construction of four one-bedroom flats and five townhouses.

In her reply to the pre-application request, Kerri Crutchfield, senior planning officer, wrote that “the proposed development would not be viewed favourably”.

She said that the loss of a village pub would go against general national and local planning guidelines and that any application should be supported with economic and marketing information to address the loss of a “community facility and employment space”.

She advised the developer to make contact with Odiham Parish Council before any formal planning application is submitted.