A PETERSFIELD councillor has resigned over issues surrounding council land set aside for housing.

Sandy Noble of the Green Party was elected onto Petersfield Town Council in the May election.

Mr Noble, of Rushes Road, said: “I have resigned, I wasn’t in sync with the council. The council’s idea of transparency is different to mine. I have a different philosophy. There shouldn’t be secrecy in public bodies.”

He resigned after discussions were held in private over an option agreement to buy the land that has seen developers Kebbells pay the council more than £500,000 in the past 15 years.

He said: “Holding it in private meant that our reasoning and legal advice wasn’t available to the public.”

Then a vote to have the field behind Barnfield and Heathfield roads independently valued was rescinded because it was unclear how many houses were likely to be built there.

It is thought the land between the roads and Penns Place playing fields is worth between £10 and £12 million.

When asked, Mr Noble agreed the quoted value for the field was in that “ball park”.

On Christmas Eve Kebbells submitted another planning application to build there.

South Downs National Park Authority is studying this latest plan for 32 affordable and 48 market price homes.

But objectors say it is the same as one refused in April.

In a letter to planners, Barnfield Road resident David Snowdon said: “I am surprised this has been re-submitted so soon after it was rejected.

“It was fundamentally flawed then and remains so.

“It appears there is a view that if you keep asking eventually permission will be granted.”

The main issue is the proposed access via Heathfield and Barnfield, and out into Pulens Lane.

Objectors say the roads built in the 1960s weren’t designed to cope with the extra traffic, which would endanger pedestrians and cyclists and vehicles using Pulens Lane.

They say a new access road via Harrier Way and Penns Place is needed.

Also in a letter to planners, local resident Kathy?Cook said: “Kebbells have consistently ignored residents objections to the proposed access.

“This is a major issue for Barnfield and Heathfields road residents that must not be ignored this time.”

The town council has said that if money was available it would like to fund sports facilities on a second field at Penns Place.

The national park has yet to announce when the latest Kebbells application will go before the planning committee for decision.