A CAMPAIGN group who have been protesting to stop a distribution warehouse at Basingstoke Gateway being built have said new plans “pull the wool over resident's eyes”.

As previously reported Newlands Developments submitted a revised planning application to Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for the new distribution hub on the land near junction 7 of the M3.

In October, members of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s development control committee refused Newlands’ previous application - understood to be earmarked for Amazon.

SEE MORE: Developer finally submits new plans for Basingstoke Gateway warehouses

The proposed plans would save the 67 oak trees and three beech trees in Oakdown Farm, which would have been removed if Amazon plans went ahead. The news came after a petition, which looked to save the oak trees from destruction, gained more than 100,000 signatures.

Christine Northam is a member of the Clean Air Green Environment (CAGE) group, who opposed the Basingstoke Gateway proposals plans, she said they still do not want plans to go ahead with “serious concerns” about the landscape.

She said: “We really think that the developers are trying to pull the wool over our eyes with the new plans, the Lidl building won't be much smaller than the Amazon building would have been.”

Despite these concerns, Newlands has said the proposal is 65 per cent smaller than the previous application - down from 271,000 square metres to 101,000 square metres.

A spokesperson from Newlands previously said: “Our revised application seeks to address some of the main concerns raised in relation to our previous application. Some of those major changes include: retaining the avenue of oak trees, reducing the floorspace by 65 per cent, cutting traffic movements by 80 per cent, reducing the building heights by 2-3 metres, and significantly increasing the amount of open, green space. We’ve also managed to reach a 23 per cent biodiversity net gain on the site.”

The group has been taking to social media to share their concerns with supporters.

The posted on Facebook: “The battle continues – we need to write even more letters of objection than last time.”

READ MORE: 'I'm here and I'm alive': Loving mother raises awareness of cancer after scary diagnoses

On Facebook they asked any residents who will be writing objection letters to the council to consider several factors including the fact that the height of the Lidl warehouse is “hardly lower” than the Amazon one and the largest warehouse’s footprint is “almost the same as in the previous plan.”

The group said they are also concerned that there will be an increase in existing traffic levels on local roads from HGVs and staff cars at the warehouse site.

Message from the editor

Thank you for reading this story. We really appreciate your support.

Please help us to continue bringing you all the trusted news from your area by sharing this story or by following our Facebook page.