COMMUNITY leaders have criticised plans to build 103 homes on a disused Army camp on the outskirts of Chester.

Members of Huntington Parish Council say a bid to build homes on the former Saighton Camp is 'unacceptable' despite the plan being backed by Chester MP Christine Russell.

The Emerson Group has submitted joint proposals with the Ministry of De-fence to knock down and replace 48 existing service personnel homes and add another 55 houses at Saighton Camp, with access from busy Sandy Lane, Huntington.

The Alderley Edge architects, acting on behalf of P. E. Jones (Contractors) Ltd and Defence Estates, have lodged an outline application with the city council based on a decision reached when a wide-ranging debate took place on the Chester Local Plan, yet to be ratified.

The public inquiry inspector decided it would be acceptable for an access via Sandy Lane for homes based on the Saighton Camp site.

The application has only just been lodged with the Town Hall and Huntington city councillor John Moore says he will organise a meeting involving the architects, proposed developers, and the community, to enable a full discussion of the proposals, now being vetted by city planning officer Mark Cawood.

However, the plans have already been attacked by members of Huntington Parish Council who yesterday gathered at the former Army camp to express their concerns.

Parish council chairman Mark Williams, of Meadow Lane, Huntington, said: 'A more cohesive approach is required in the regeneration of this area and not the ad hoc and piecemeal approach that appears to be emerging.

'As such, I oppose this application as unwarranted until the emerging Local Plan determines the future use of Saighton Camp.

'It should be noted that the Local Plan will have considerable impact on our village and, as such, this application should be deferred as premature.'

Cllr Williams says Saighton Camp consists of 56 acres and not the 13.8 acres detailed in the outline planning application and access to the A56 should be one of its main considerations.

'Access to the A55 is not detailed in this application and the proposed houses would run next to the A55, which would restrict access to the A55.

'The application states 'surface water and foul sewage to be disposed into a refurbished connection to the main drainage system'. What are the consequences of this?

'Huntington has had serious surface water problems: Chester Road fronting St Luke's Church, has been flooded in the past two years and Butterbache Farm House has also had lifted manhole covers under heavy storm conditions.

'Caldy Brook has had appearances of substances that are more distasteful following heavy downpours - will this become a common problem with a combined water and sewage system to the proposed development?

Cllr Williams continued: 'Huntington Primary School is under considerable demand. Will it cope as its present size with the additional houses? Moreover, if so, Huntington's school run traffic congestion issues along Butterbache Road will increase.

'Chester Road/Sandy Lane is unable to cope with traffic at peak periods during the day. This will be exacerbated even further when the remainder of the site is developed with a denied A55 access.

'The development of the Saighton Army camp should be considered as a whole and this should be integrated into Huntington. The present proposal is unacceptable in its present form.'

Earlier this year, Christine Russell said Saighton Camp would make a perfect site for 'much-needed affordable homes'.

She imagines housing associations will be eager to develop part of the site in a bid to help the many people now being forced to leave the city because of escalating property prices.