CONSERVATIVES have appeared to criticise a protest over green areas included in a council list of potential development sites.

Zach Hawson, an Eldene parish councillor and ward councillor candidate for Park South, said he had raised concerns directly with council leader David Renard over Oldlands Walk being listed in the Strategic Housing Economic Land Availability Assessment several weeks ago.

On Saturday, more than 100 residents met at Oldlands Walk, near Queens Drive, to express their anger that it remained on the SHELAA document.

In a statement, Mr Hawson said: "The leader of the council is one of the key decision makers, and I find it is usually best to talk to the right people and make an effective point rather than organise a protest that does not ultimately help residents in resolving an issue.

"Green Open Spaces, like Oldlands Walk and the area to the side of Okebourne Park, are crucial to protect, and I was reassured by David that the Conservative council will listen to these concerns."

"All councils, Labour and Conservative, must go through this process and it is irresponsible to pretend otherwise to scare and enrage residents."

But Chris Watts, Labour ward councillor for Liden, Eldene and Park South, denounced the comments: "It's a slap in the face for all those people who turned out on Saturday to show their feelings.

"There appears to be a level of arrogance that people demonstrating against the Conservative policy - even ones as ridiculous as this - will have a negative baring on the decisions made when they should be listening to the people."

"Coun Fay Howard and I had two meetings prior to the SHELAA list being created where se strongly objected to Oldlands Walk being put on the list. These requests have been ignored."

David Renard, council leader, said: "Zach contacted me with his concerns about sites in Liden, Eldene and Park South that were included in the SHELAA as having potential for housing, and he made a persuasive argument for their removal.

"I am happy to meet someone with concerns, and he is the first person to contact me about these areas.

"The SHELAA is a legal process that every council must go through every five years. Stage one lists every possible greenfield and brownfield site that meet the national criteria, and it isn't pick and choose. I look forward to stage two, where many controversial sites will naturally be dropped because there are objections. Like it or not, this is how SHELAA works."