MORE than 1,400 people who signed a petition protesting about "over-development" in Lymington have been warned that the only alternative is building on open fields.

New Forest planning chiefs were commenting on a campaign launched by the Lymington Society, which is battling to preserve the character of the parish.

Members say that developers are being allowed to bulldoze large family homes and replace them with blocks of flats that are out of character.

Last month the society presented New Forest District Council with a petition which complained that the authority's planning policies were causing "irreversible damage" to the town. The petition was discussed at a meeting of the council's ruling Cabinet.

Chris Elliott, head of development control, stressed that the council was under pressure to meet housebuilding targets set by the regional assembly, and that it faced tough choices in deciding where new properties should be built.

Mr Elliott said: "There are two alternatives. We either allow homes to be built in existing built-up areas and risk complaints that we're destroying the character of those areas, or we allow them to be built on greenfield sites.

"I propose we draw the Lymington Society's attention to the need to meet housebuilding targets and fully engage them in the decision-making process through the consultation process later this year."

Lymington Society spokesman Dr Donald Mackenzie said that the group looked forward to taking part.

"We have been assured that this will be a real consultation exercise and that the review will not be kicked into the long grass," he said. "We congratulate the council for taking the petition and the concerns of people in the town as seriously as they have done."